REVELATION 21-22 PART C

 

ABBREVIATIONS:

          ESV:  English Standard Bible (Bible quotes are from ESV except when another version is noted)

          NIV:  New International Version

          ESVSB:  English Standard Version Study Bible

          NIVSB:  New International Version Study Bible

(Bibliographic entries for these versions can be found in other posts)

INTRODUCTION:

          In Revelation 21:2 the New Jerusalem comes down to earth “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  In the same chapter, after a digression, the New Jerusalem is again in focus:  “Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  (Revelation 21:9)

          In this post, I shall discuss the IDENTITY OF THE BRIDE/WIFE OF THE LAMB.  I discuss those entities that are designated as either the Bride or the Wife of the Lord or of his Christ.  These two entities are Israel and the church. 

OLD TESTAMENT REFERENCES TO ISRAEL AS THE WIFE OF THE LORD (YAHWEH)

In several places throughout the Old Testament the people of God—either the unified nation of Israel, the northern kingdom of Israel, or the southern kingdom of Judah—are referred to as the wife of God.  In several of these cases, this is a negative reference in the sense that the nation is depicted as an unfaithful wife.  Her behavior is characterized as prostitution—she has prostituted herself to other gods.  So, the sin of the nation is doubly heinous because she is adulterous and a prostitute.  The following are some of those passages (I am grateful to anonymous internet sources for some of these references):

1.    Isaiah 54:  In this passage, the Lord speaks to Judah and to Jerusalem, the city that represents the nation.  He describes her as a barren woman who will have many children, He also describes her as a widow who is now married to the Lord:  (“…your maker is your husband…” 54:5).  He also describes her as a young wife who was rejected by her husband, who now calls her back to himself (54:6-8).

2.    Isaiah 62:4-5:  In promising Jerusalem’s (as representative of the nation) ultimate salvation, the Lord promises that the land shall be called “Married.” (62:4)  Moreover, God will rejoice over Jerusalem “as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride…” (62:5)

3.    Jeremiah 2:1-2:  The Lord speaks through Jeremiah of the former days of the nation, “the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride…”

4.    Jeremiah 3:  This chapter addresses both Judah and Israel.  It reminds both kingdoms of their idolatry.  This idolatry and associated sins are characterized as adultery and prostitution.  The chapter begins by the Lord asking the question:  “If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her?  Would not that land be greatly polluted?  You have played the whore with many lovers, and would you return to me? Declares the Lord.”  (3:1)

5.    Jeremiah 31:31-34:  This is the famous passage that describes the New Covenant.  In the preface (verses 31:31-32), the Lord mentions the first covenant with the nation and includes the idea of a marriage between the Lord and the nation:  “…not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. (31:32, emphasis added)

6.    Ezekiel 16:  This is a very extended, detailed metaphorical description of the Lord’s relationship with Jerusalem, and, by extension, Judah.  The following is a brief outline of the chapter:

a.    The birth of Jerusalem—after birth, she is a baby tossed out to die; she is from the Canaanites, Amorites, and Hittites; 16:1-4

b.    The Lord finds her and rescues her and she grows to womanhood; 16:5-7

c.     The Lord now becomes her husband-to-be; he then prepares her to be a beautiful, adorned bride; 16:8-14

d.    Jerusalem becomes an unfaithful wife with numerous lovers—worshiping idols and even sacrificing children; 16:15-22

e.    She continues her idolatry and also seeks out foreign alliances, with Egypt and Assyria and Babylonia; 16:23-29

f.      She reversed the role of a prostitute and paid her lovers; 16:30-34

g.     The Lord pronounces sentence upon Jerusalem—she will be laid bare before all her “lovers” (the nations) and will be destroyed and burned; 16:35-43

h.    She is compared to her “sisters,” Sodom and Samaria, and she is declared worse than they; 16:44-52

i.       The Lord promises to restore the fortunes of all three, but also declares that they must bear their shame; 16:53-58

j.       Though Jerusalem has broken covenant with God, he will remember his covenant and will establish an everlasting covenant with her; the Lord will atone for her sin and she will not be lifted up in pride; 16:59-63

7.    The book of Hosea, especially Hosea 1-3:  The biography of Hosea and his wife Gomer is used to illustrate the unfaithfulness of Israel, the northern kingdom.  There are also references to Judah. 

a.    In this account, Hosea marries Gomer, who is described as a “wife of whoredom.”  (1:2)

b.    Gomer bears several children, though possibly not all of them are Hosea’s children.  Each of them receives symbolic names.

                                                 i.      The first is a son, Jezreel, which stands for the overthrow of Israel.  Jezreel is both the place of the vineyard that Ahab coveted and had Naboth killed to obtain and the place where Ahab’s son Joram was killed by Jehu.  So, it was a place where violent overthrow has occurred, which was the fate of Israel. (1:4-5)

                                               ii.      The second child is a daughter, No Mercy, because God will not have mercy on Israel.  (1:6-7)

                                            iii.      The third child is a son, Not My People, which is the Lord’s chilling renunciation of his beloved people because of their sin.  (1:8-9)

                                            iv.      However, the Lord then reverses his harsh judgment with a promise of eventual grace and mercy:  “And in that place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’  He further promises the reunification of Israel and Judah. (1:10-11)

c.     In chapter 2, Hosea pleads, by asking his children to speak for him, with his wife to end her “whoring.” 

                                                 i.      He yields to hyperbole:  “for she is not my wife, and I am not her husband…” (2:2b) 

                                               ii.      He warns that he will resort to violence against her—even coming against her children.  (2:3-5)

                                            iii.      He frustrates Gomer’s attempts to pursue lovers so that she decides to return to him.  She did not realize that it was Hosea and not her lovers who lavished her with gifts.  (2:6-9)

                                            iv.      Throughout the chapter, it is obvious that the Lord’s relationship with Israel is in view.  This is more true in 2:10ff, in which the idolatry is directly addressed. 

d.    The drama of Hosea and his wife Gomer continues in chapter 3 of Hosea. 

                                                 i.      Hosea buys Gomer from her master (who may also have acted as her husband).  I calculated her price from current grain and silver prices to be $187.77.  According to Google, the average price of a slave in the 1850’s was equivalent to $40,000 today.  (I am reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin.  Tom was bought by Simon Legree for $1200, which is about $42,000 in today’s money.)  Today, world-wide the average price of a slave is $90.  So, Gomer was bought for twice the going rate today and for less than ½ a per cent of the rate in the 1850’s.  Although these considerations are important, they are not central to the story.  The point is that Hosea bought her back and then demanded her fidelity (3:3). 

                                               ii.      This is applied, then, to Israel, the northern kingdom.  The prediction is that “the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods.”  (3:4) 

                                            iii.      The ESVSB, in notes on this chapter, considers these losses to be the removal of the “cult” practices of pagan idolatry during that time.  The “king” or “prince” were the rulers of the northern kingdom that introduced and sustained idolatry.  The other items were elements of worship and occult practices (magical practices that used an ephod, for example).  “The Lord’s purging [of cultic practices], far from being incompatible with his love, is a major aspect of it.”  In other words, this would be a time of repentance. 

                                                 i.      ESVSB references Deuteronomy 30:1-10, which describes a time of purging/repentance, including expelling the people from their land into exile.  This is to be followed by restoration and blessing. 

                                               ii.      So, in Hosea 3:5, the final outcome is that the people will seek the Lord and David the king, who is the ruler they had rejected when the kingdom was divided between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.  ESVSB also relates this restoration to the last days as it is predicted in Romans 11:11-32.

In all of these passages, the relationship between the Lord and the Old Testament-era people of God is an intimate, love relationship.  Throughout that relationship, the Lord is a faithful husband, but the people are often unfaithful.  Throughout the long history, the Lord reaches out to his beloved, seeking his love to be reciprocated, just as a spouse would seek a reciprocal relationship in marriage. 

ISRAEL AS THE WIFE OF GOD IN GOSPEL PASSAGES

          In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is depicted as a bridegroom who anticipates a marriage. 

In Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, and Luke 5:34-35 Jesus uses the metaphor of a bridegroom and his friends.  The friends do not mourn and fast when they are celebrating with the bridegroom.  He is applying this to himself as the bridegroom.  He says that when the bridegroom is taken away, then it will be proper to fast.  Again, this anticipates, most likely, his death.  In these parallel passages, the bride is not identified. 

In John 3:29, John the Baptist uses the figure of “bridegroom” to refer to Jesus.  He, John, considers himself a friend of the bridegroom who rejoices in the bridegroom’s presence.  But the “one who has the bride is the bridegroom.”  The bridegroom is not John, but Jesus.  Here also the bride is not identified.

Who is this bride of Jesus in the gospels?  The first thing to note is that the bride is not identified in any of the four passages.  (Note that there is also a passage in Matthew 25:1-13 about a bridegroom.  The bride is not mentioned in that passage either.)  Two conclusions could be drawn from the absence of the bride in the bridegroom passages under discussion (Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35, John 3:29).  One is that her identity is not important.  The focus is on the bridegroom.  The other is that her identity should be understood. 

I think that the first conclusion is warranted.  The bridegroom is the focus.  Jesus is the bridegroom and that is cause to rejoice.  Two facts--that no one can be certain of her identity and that her identity is debatable—mean that the second conclusion is not warranted.  That is to say, the identity cannot be understood from the context. 

There are two major possibilities:  that the Bride is Israel or that the Bride is the church.    

I believe that Israel—the Hebrew nation—is to be understood as the bride in these discussions.  Jesus is the Lord (Romans 10:9, John 20:28, Matthew 16:16, Luke 1:31-35, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 1:5-13).  That is, He is the Lord God, the second person of the Trinity.  He entered into this world as the son of Mary but also as the Word of God (John 1), and he came “to his own” (John 1:11).  Thus, he came to the nation that had been named his bride/wife (see the discussion above on Israel as the wife of God in the Old Testament).  It is true that Jesus Christ also has an intimate relationship with the church as his bride/wife (see below).  However, in the context of the present Scriptures--Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35, John 3:29—Jesus’ relationship to Israel is foremost in the minds of the participants in the conversations.  Therefore, Jesus is understood as the bridegroom of Israel in these conversations.

 

THE CHURCH AS THE WIFE OF GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

          In Ephesians 5:22ff, Jesus Christ is compared to the husband in the marriage relationship.  Note the wording throughout this passage:

·       In 5:23 the husband is considered the “head of the wife” and Christ is described as the “head of the church.” HEAD

·       In 5:25 husbands are admonished to love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for [her.]” SACRIFICE

·       In 5:26-27 Christ’s sacrifice for the church is described to be for the purpose of sanctifying the church “so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”  PRESENT TO HIMSELF A SANCTIFIED CHURCH  (See Colossian 1:22, 28, Jude 24.)

·       In 5:28-30 husbands are admonished to love their wives as they do their own bodies, to nourish and cherish their wives as they do their own bodies and just as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church, “because we are members of his body.”  Note that the metaphor has shifted, from the church being the bride/wife of Christ to being the body of Christ. CHURCH IS BODY THAT IS NOURISHED

·       In 5:31-32, the reference is to Genesis 2:24 and the focus is on the husband and wife being unified as “one flesh” through the marriage relationship.  So, the two bodies have been unified.  In 5:32 Paul explains this “profound” mystery “refers to Christ and the church.”  Now we have a U-turn in the reasoning.  The church is the body of Christ (verse 5:30), but this is BECAUSE we are joined with Christ in intimacy to become one flesh with Christ.  So it is the marriage between Christ and the church that results in the church’s being the body of Christ.  CHRIST UNIFIED TO CHURCH IN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP

In this complex set of relationships, we see a number of ways of understanding the relationship between Christ and the church.

·       SACRIFICE: Christ is the savior of the church who died for her.

·        CHRIST IS UNIFIED TO CHURCH IN MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP

·       CHRIST DESIRES TO PRESENT TO HIMSELF A SANCTIFIED CHURCH

·       HEAD: Christ is the head and the church is the body.

·       CHURCH IS BODY THAT IS NOURISHED: Christ nourishes and cherishes the church because it is his body and one would nourish and cherish one’s own body

THE BRIDE OF CHRIST AND THE MARRIAGE OF CHRIST IN REVELATION

The following passages are from Revelation:

·       19:7-8  “Let us rejoice and exult  and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine line is the righteous deeds of the saints.

·       19:9  And the angel said to me, “Write this:  Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”  And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

·       21:2-3  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

·       21:9  Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God…

·       21:12  It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel inscribed…

·       21:14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

·       21:17  The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”  And let the one who hears say, “Come.”  And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

          I observe the following regarding the Bride and the marriage and the marriage supper:

·       The actual wedding of the Bride and the Lamb is never described.

·       The marriage is announced in 19:7 and the wedding supper is mentioned in 19:9.  Both of these announcements seem to be anticipatory. 

·       The time of the appearance of the Bride is the onset of what is often called “eternity.”

·       The Bride is a metaphor that is used to describe the New Jerusalem.  Yet, in a sense, the New Jerusalem is itself a metaphor.

·       The Old Testament people of God (the tribes of Israel) and the New Testament people of God (the apostles) are both represented by the names that are inscribed on the gates and the foundation stones of the walls of the city.   

With these observations in mind, I shall attempt to identify the Bride of the Lamb as well as understand the significance of the wedding supper of the Lamb.

The city has the names of the tribes of Israel inscribed on its gates and the names of the apostles on the foundation stones of its walls.  This indicates to me that both groups of people—the nation of Israel and the church—are citizens of the New Jerusalem.  Therefore, I believe that the BRIDE OF CHRIST AND THE NEW JERUSALEM ARE TO BE IDENTIFIED BOTH WITH ISRAEL AND THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

I once heard a radio preacher angrily railing about “replacement” theology.  He was talking, I assume, about the idea that the church is the new Israel.  He was right that one must be cautious in applying all that pertains to Israel to the church.  Nevertheless, there are some bold statements regarding the church and Israel in the New Testament.  I understanding these statements to indicate a union between the Old Testament people of God and the New Testament church.  Thus, the church does not replace Israel, but rather the church is in union with (true) Israel. 

NEW TESTAMENT UNION OF ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH

Part 1:  Galatians 3—The True Sons of Abraham

Starting in Galatians 3, Paul deals with the promises to Abraham, the Mosaic Law, Christ, Israel, and Gentiles.  He makes the following points:

a.    Those who have faith are the sons of Abraham, including Gentile believers and heirs to the promise to Abraham (Galatians 3:7-9).

b.    Christ redeemed those under the Law—and thereby experiencing a curse—by becoming a curse for them (Galatians 3:10-13).

c.     Christ is the offspring of Abraham who receives by inheritance the covenantal promises to Abraham (Galatians 3:16-18)

d.    Israel was under a “guardian”—the Law—until Christ came, and with him, justification by faith (Galatians 3:23-25). 

e.    Those who believe in Christ are sons of God through faith—whether Israelite or Gentile (Galatians 3:23-28).

f.      And if one belongs to Christ, then he or she is Abraham’s offspring and “heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3:29).

Part 2:  Ephesians 2—Admission of Gentiles into the Commonwealth of Israel

          One passage, I believe, is key in our understanding.  That is Ephesians 2:11-22. 

a.     First, I shall make a verse-by-verse summary, as follows.

·       2:11 The Gentiles were called the “uncircumcision” by the Jews.

·       2:12 The Gentiles were separated from both Christ and the “commonwealth” of Israel.

·       2:13 They have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

·       2:14 Christ has broken down in his flesh the division between Jew and Gentile.

·       2:15 He did this by abolishing the Law to create one man from the two.

·       2:16 He reconciled us both to God through the cross and ended the hostility.

·       2:17 He preached peace to both groups.

·       2:18 Through him both have access to the Father through the Spirit.

·       2:19 Gentiles are no longer aliens but are fellow citizens and members of the household of God.

·       2:20 This house was built on the apostles and prophets with Christ the cornerstone.

·       2:21 In him it grows into a temple in the Lord.

·       2:22 Together Jews and Gentiles are a dwelling place for God in the Spirit.

b.     The result of the redemption through Christ:  In this passage, Paul understands the redemption through Christ to have accomplished  several things.  First (though not addressed first), Christ reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God through the cross.  This, in turn, abolished the Law in the sense that it no longer stands between humans and God.  Moreover, the Law no longer stands between groups of humans—between Israel and the Gentiles.  This reconciliation allows both groups to have access to the Father.  Since both groups—Israel and Gentiles—approach the Father on the same basis, there is no longer grounds for enmity between them.  They are now citizens of the same spiritual nation and members of the same household. 

c.     Gentile entry into the commonwealth of Israel:  What is strongly implied in this passage is that, in this new means of reconciliation with God, the Gentiles are entering into the “commonwealth” of Israel.  The nation—commonwealth—is already there.  Now both Israelites and Gentiles are citizens on the same basis, the cross of Jesus Christ.  Notice that this tends to turn upside down the usual notion of these relationships.  If a Jew gets saved, then he or she is welcomed (hopefully) into the church.  Our concept is that the church is there, and the Jew can join it through faith in Christ.  What Paul is reminding us is that, in fact, we Gentiles (most who read this probably are Gentiles) are the outsiders who have been welcomed in through faith in Christ.  He also is reminding us that the “commonwealth” of Israel has a long history of existence well before the Christian era. 

Part 3:  The continuation of the commonwealth of Israel in the church era

a.    So, is the church the “new Israel”?  I do not think so.  I think the church is a continuation of the commonwealth of Israel.  If we consider the early chapters of Acts, the church began among Jews through faith in Jesus and baptism in the name of the triune God.  It began with the Pentecost Sunday gift of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues.  There followed the witness of Peter to Lordship and Messiahship of Jesus.  (Acts 2:36)  These events took place among the people of Israel.  In fact, Peter explicitly states in Acts 2:36:  “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 

b.    The growth and spread of the church:  After the day of Pentecost the Lord continued to add people (Jews) to the community of believers. (Acts 2:47)  Although official Israel rejected this group and their leaders and persecuted them (see Acts 4-7), this continued to be a group within Israel.  Slowly, there began to be a spread of believers beyond Israel.  It came to point, finally, where decisions had to be made about the Gentile believers. 

c.     The Jerusalem Council:  These decisions were made at what is often called the “Jerusalem Council.”  The crisis was whether the Gentile believers should be circumcised and ordered “to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:5)  The council discussed it and came to the conclusion, which was pronounced by James:  “Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.  For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.” (Acts 15:19-21) Thus, the Gentiles were not placed under the yoke of the Law.  They were asked to refrain from certain behaviors that would be particularly offensive to Jews. 

a.    The rebuilding of the Tent of David:  In his pronouncement James prefaces his summation by quoting from Amos 9:11-12, as follows:  “After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.”  This version of the passage from Amos is closer to our English translation of the Septuagint than to the translation from the Hebrew.  James probably used the Septuagint as his source.  The focus in the beginning of the passage is on rebuilding the “tent of David that has fallen.”  Notice that the vision is of restoration within the community of Israel.  This restoration is envisioned by Amos to enable Israel to reach out to the Gentiles.  In the Septuagint the understanding is that the rebuilt tent of David will draw Gentiles to seek the Lord.  In the Hebrew version, because the tent of David is restored, Israel is enabled to “possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name.”  Thus, Israel is enabled to reach out to the Gentiles and “possess” them. 

b.    I think two things flow out of this Scripture. 

                               i.            First, God will restore the “tent of David.”  The Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament) uses “booth” (ESV) or “shelter” (NIV).  I believe that this is similar to the usual language for “family.”  Generally, this would say “the house of David” will be restored.  We know that Jesus was the descendant of David, and his coming in fact was a restoration of the house of David.  It was this restoration that would bring a new enablement to Israel.

                             ii.             Second, the restoration of David’s house is a rejuvenation of Israel itself.  The early chapters of Acts are describing a revival that was taking place in and around Jerusalem and spilling over into Samaria and even to more remote communities of Israelites, including Damascus and Antioch.  Of course coupled with this was persecution and determined effort to stamp out this revival.  In the course of this revival, Gentiles began to be saved also.  It created a crisis among the Christians, but they, to a degree, handled it and, with the decision of the Jerusalem Council, moved on. 

c.     The development of a Gentile church:  The latter part of Acts focuses on the ministry to the Gentiles, especially by Paul.  Ultimately, the historical arc of the New Testament is toward a Gentile church.  However, even late in the first century, the Christians still understood their close relationship to Judaism.  So, in Revelation 2:9, Jesus speaks to the church at Smyrna, “I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.”  This pronouncement is a harsh word in reference to the local synagogue.  It highlights the deep division that developed between the church and most of Israel, which had rejected Christ.  It also identifies “true Israel” and “apostate Israel.”  The church is understood to be a component of true Israel.

d.    The olive tree in Romans 11:  In Romans 9-11, Paul addresses these issues. I have discussed these chapters in other posts and will not dwell on them.  What I think is especially important is to recognize that Paul only sees one people of God throughout these chapters.  I think one should be cautious in reading Romans 11:17-21.  Paul is not saying that God will break off the Gentile branches when he restores Israel (see 11:26).  He is, rather, warning Gentile believers not to be arrogant or proud.  He is careful to say that God broke off the Israelite branches “because of their unbelief.”  That is, it was not an arbitrary or capricious act of God.  So, God will not arbitrarily break off Gentile branches to make room for the restoration of Israel.  God will continue his kindness to the Gentile believers if we continue in his kindness.  (Romans 11:22)  So, it is implied, there will be room for the Israelites to be grafted back in and to keep the Gentiles in the tree. 

CONCLUSION:  THE UNION OF ISRAEL AND GENTILES IN THE NEW JERUSALEM

The following have been the various approaches that I have attempted to use to answer the question of the identity of the bride who is the New Jerusalem:

·       I have described how the nation of Israel is described as the wife of God, especially in those cases when the nation has been unfaithful to God—as an adulterous wife is—through idolatry and in seeking the protection of other nations.

·       I have described how the church is described as the wife of Christ in Ephesians 5.  Out of the intimate relationship—which is like a marriage—between Christ and the church come several resultant relationships, including Christ as the Head of the church and the church as the Body of Christ.

·       In Galatians 3 those who are sons of God by faith are the true sons of Abraham and heirs of the promises to Abraham. 

·       In Ephesians 2:11-22, the admission of Gentiles into the Commonwealth of Israel is described.  In this understanding, the Gentiles have been brought into the people of God by the work of Christ.  

·       The history of the early church in Acts and some of the epistles is the story of the continuation of the church as a component of the Commonwealth of Israel.

·       In Romans 9-11, Paul addresses these issues.  What I think is especially important is to recognize that Paul only sees one people of God throughout these chapters.

·       At the onset of what might be called “eternity,” the New Jerusalem appears.  It is called the Bride.  The city is identified with both the nation of Israel and the church.

From all these considerations, I believe that it is reasonable and consistent with Scripture to identify the Bride as the People of God who are identified as the nation of Israel in the Old Testament and as the church of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.  I believe that there is continuity between these two groups.  The church does not replace Israel.  The church is a component of the Old Testament people of God.

          I must be cautious at this point.  I am not saying that we can make an exact equation between the Old Testament and New Testament people of God.  We must recognize that the coming of Jesus the Christ into the world was a game-changer.  Everything that is tentative or only that is promised or that is a foreshadowing or a type in the Old Testament is brought to fulfillment in Jesus’ first coming or his second coming.  The book of Hebrews goes into detail about how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament worship and Paul’s writings explain how Christ has put an end to the Old Testament Law.  So, the faith of the Old Testament believer was faith in a partial revelation.  Often it was an acceptance of the God-ordained leadership that was then current, such as a judge, a king, or a prophet.  It generally was also obedience to God’s directives, such as the Mosaic Law—obedience that came out of a heart of faith.  In all of these cases, the revelation that was believed pointed ultimately to Christ.  So, when Christ came, he turned the light on.  One consequence of that was the whole relationship of the church to God in Christ is drastically more intimate and powerful than the relationship between the Israelites and God. 

          Nevertheless, I believe it is consistent with the Bible to understand that there is a strong relationship between the Old and New Testament people of God.  The fact that the one city of God, the New Jerusalem, bears the names of both the tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles reflects that strong relationship.

ADDENDUM:  THE USE OF “WOMAN” AND “BRIDE” IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

          The themes coming out of the idea of “woman” are frequently encountered in Revelation (boldface added by me). 

1.    Jezebel:  In 2:20-23, Jesus rebukes the church at Thyatira for tolerating the false prophetess known as “Jezebel.” 

2.    The woman who is clothed with the sun:  In chapter 12, a mysterious woman “clothed with the sun” is in conflict with a dragon.  The woman has a son who escapes the dragon and goes to God and his throne.  The dragon pursues, without success the woman.  Then he focuses on her offspring, “who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” (12:17)

3.    In 14:8 an angel announces:  “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”  Babylon will be identified with a woman temptress is chapter 17.

4.    In the description (16:17-21) of the consequences of the outpouring of the seventh bowl of God’s wrath, that wrath includes a judgment upon “Babylon the great.”  The description of various judgments is complex and it is not clear to me exactly which judgments fall specifically on Babylon.  Nevertheless, this city—which is identified elsewhere as seductress—is  singled out for an outpouring of God’s wrath.

5.    Chapter 17 gives a detailed description of the Prostitute or Babylon and additional information about the Beast.  The woman, who is called a prostitute is summarized as “the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” (17:18)

6.    The destruction of the Prostitute/Babylon is described in 17:16 and is expanded upon in chapter 18.  This chapter especially describes how her destruction affects various groups of people, such as kings, merchants, and sailors. 

7.    In 19:1-5 heaven rejoices over the judgment of Babylon.

8.    In 19:6-8 there is rejoicing over the marriage of the Lamb to his Bride. 

9.    In 19:9 a blessing is pronounced on those who have been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

10.                       In 21:1-22:5 there is a description of the new heaven and the new earth.  Prominent in that description is the “New Jerusalem.”  It is first mentioned immediately after the announcement of the the new heaven and new earth in 21:2.  It is coming down from heaven and is “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”  Then, in 21:9, an angel promises to show John “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”  Again, the bride is identified as the New Jerusalem in 21:10.  A detailed description follows in the remainder of the chapter and into chapter 22.  The city has 12 gates which are identified with the 12 tribes of Israel (21:12).  Its wall has 12 foundations which are identified with the 12 apostles (21:14). 

COMMENTS:  The theme of woman is prominent throughout Revelation.  The theme is used both negatively and positively.  This creates contrasts.  These contrasts include those that follow.

The woman Jezebel is an evil influence who corrupts the church.  (2:20-23)  This is in contrast to the woman who is clothed with the sun (chapter 12), whose children “keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

The Prostitute/Babylon commits sexual immorality with the kings of the earth and gives the wine of her immorality to the earth-dwellers to make them drunk. (17:2)  This is in contrast to the Bride of the Lamb, who wears “fine linen, bright and pure,” which is “the righteous deeds of the saints.”  The woman who is clothed with the sun can also be considered a contrast to Babylon. 

Note also that Babylon and the New Jerusalem are both cities which are identified as women.  One is an evil prostitute corrupting the earth and the other is a pure and chaste bride who is married to the Lamb (Jesus).  The bride is identified with the Biblical people of God, Israel and the church.

ADDENDUM:  ADDITIONAL WAYS OF UNDERSTANDING THE CHURCH IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

The following is additional information to remind us of the various ways the church is described in the New Testament.  I do not consider these to add or to detract from the considerations of the main body of this article.

1.    THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST AND CHRIST AS ITS HEAD

·       Boldface was added by me.

·       Romans 12:4-5:  Though we are many (in the church), we are one body in Christ and are also members of one another.

·       I Corinthians 10:17:  Just as there is one loaf in the communion, so we, who are many, make up one body.  As we partake of communion, we are expressing this unity in the one body.

·       I Corinthians 12:12-13ff:  The church is the body of Christ, and so intimately identified with Christ, that Paul uses “Christ” and church synonymously:  Christ has many members, and all these members are one body.  We were baptized by the Spirit into the one body.

·       Ephesians 1:22:   God put all under Christ’s feet and gave Christ as the head over all things to the church. 

·       Ephesians 1:23:  The church is Christ’s body and the fulness of Christ.  NIVSB:  “The church is the fulness of Christ probably in the sense that it is filled by him who fills all things.” ESVSB:  “The church, filled by Christ, fills all creation as representatives of Christ.” Francis Foulkes (in his commentary on Ephesians):  “…it is God’s purpose that the Church should be the full expression of Jesus Christ, who Himself fills everything there is.”  [Next paragraph:] “Another interpretation of these words, understood by many ancient versions in their translation of the Greek, and followed by many commentators, is that in some sense the Church fills Christ, and He is made complete by the Church.  So Calvin says, ‘Until he is united to us, the Son of God reckons himself in some sense imperfect.’ …It is felt that it gives a truer meaning of the word fulness (pleroma), that which fills, rather than that which is filled.  Also the form of the particle…is the Greek middle or passive voice…  [Foulkes goes on, however, to argue for middle and not passive, which would be close to active.] Nowhere in the New Testament is it said that Christ finds His fullness and fulfillment in the Church…The reverse is the more natural idea…The sequence of thought here seems to be:  by His resurrection and ascension Christ is exalted to be Lord of all, He is the Head of all things for the Church; the Church is His Body intended to express Him in the world; [emphasis added] more than that, the Church is intended to be a full expression of Him by being filled by Him whose purpose it is to fill everything there is.” (Foulkes, 66-67)  

·       Eph 2:16:  The “body” metaphor is used to express the unity between Jew and Greek when they are in Christ:  “And might reconcile us both [Jew and Gentile] to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

·       Eph 3:6:   The idea of unity considers the Gentiles to have joined with the Jews in the body of Christ: “This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. “

·       Eph 4:4-5   The church is one of the “unities” of the Christian faith:  “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to  your call…one Lord, one faith, one baptism…”

·       Eph 4:12-16  The “body” metaphor is used to express the notion of spiritual growth:  “[4:11  And he gave the apostles, the prophets…] to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.  Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”  See also Colossians 2:19 and 3:15.

·       Colossians 1:18, 1:24:  Christ is the head of the body, which is the church.

·       Colossian 2:19:  very similar to Ephesians 4:12-16

·       Colossians 3:15:  Let peace rule since you were called to peace as you are in one body (the church)

·       Hebrews 13:3:  Admonishes Christians to remember those in prison.  It has an ambiguous reference to “the body.”  ESVSB believes this refers to living our faith in the real world and does not refer to the church, but acknowledges that it could.

2.    CHURCH IN I PETER

          In the Scripture quotations below, boldface was added by me.

·       Peter uses the metaphor of a building to describe the church:  “You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood…” I Peter 2:5

·       Peter also uses the language of nationhood to describe the church:  “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession… I Peter 2:9

·       Peter goes on to recall the language of Hosea 1:8-11:  “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” I Peter 2:10

·       Peter also uses the familiar metaphor of the flock and shepherd:  “[To the elders he admonishes] shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight…” I Peter 5:2

3.    CHURCH IN I JOHN AND GOSPEL OF JOHN

·       John, in his first epistle, often uses the term “brother” [which can be understood to include “sister”] (see, e.g., I John 2:9-10).

·       John also uses the idea of Christians—the church—as the children of God:  See I John 3:1.

·       Jesus, in John 15:1ff, uses the extended metaphor of the vine and branches to describe himself as the unifying principle that brings us together as well as himself as the source of our life.

REFERENCE: 

Francis Foulkes.  The Epistle of  Paul to the Ephesians.  Tyndale New Testament. R. V. G. Tasker, Gen. Ed. Grand Rapids, MI:  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1956.

 

REVELATION 21-22, PART B

Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV).  

Abbreviations:  NIVSB = New International Version Study Bible; KJV = King James Version

In Revelation 21:1-8, John has been focused on the throne of God.  This is because those who have spoken to him have done so from the throne:  a "loud voice from the throne" (21:3) and the voice of the one "who was seated on the throne" (21:5).  Now, in Revelation 21:8ff, there is a new speaker, one of the seven angels who were introduced in 15:1.  Each of these held a bowl containing one of the seven last plagues (15:7-16:1).  Now an angel from that group turns attention to a glorious sight.  Rather than the horrific last plagues, the angel now presents to John "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."  (21:9)  John is then carried to a high mountain "in the Spirit" to view the next great sight in Revelation.  John had been carried by one from this same group of angels "in the Spirit" to a wilderness to view the great prostitute (17:3).  That woman was a city--called Babylon (17:18).  This woman of chapter 21 also is revealed as a city, "the holy city Jerusalem." (21:10)  The first city, Babylon, contained the blood of martyrs (18:24).  Now, the focus is on the "new Jerusalem" (it is called that in 21:2).  It will be a place for the servants of God to worship God and to reign with him forever (22:3, 5).  

The first description of the new Jerusalem is that it is "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."  (21:9)  The marriage of the Lamb is never really described in Revelation. It is announced as impending in 19:7 and 9.  The theme of "wedding," "bride," and "bridegroom" are used in the gospels to emphasize certain principles of the Kingdom of God.  There are major emphases in these passages:

*The wedding between two parties 

*The celebration itself

*Those who are invited to the wedding celebration and how they respond

*Being ready to attend the feast

*The identity of the bride (I shall discuss this in another post.)

*The identity of the bridegroom

1.  THE JOINING TOGETHER OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD WITH GOD AND THE LAMB:  Revelation 21:3 and 11-14

In Revelation 21, there is considerable emphasis on the joining together of the people of God with God himself and with the Lamb.  Thus, the emphasis is on the wedding between the two parties, although "marriage" or "wedding" is not used in direct connection with joining God and people.  Verse 21:3 states that the "dwelling place of God is with man..."  In verse 21:9, the angel says he will show John the "Bride, the wife of the Lamb."  He then procedes to show John the New Jerusalem.  

2.  THE FEAST ON THE MOUNTAIN:  Isaiah 25:6

This is called in the NIVSB the "eschatological feast of God, the Messianic banquet."  It is held "on the mountain," which NIVSB identifies as "Mount Zion."  It will be "a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined."  Here the emphasis is on the celebration.  It does not focus on who is invited.  It does lift up Mount Zion in Jerusalem as the location.  This is a reassurance to Israel of God's eternal commitment to Israel.  In Revelation 21, the city is described as a "New Jerusalem."  Just as all things will be renewed in glorious ways, so will the city of Jerusalem.  And it will be the centerpoint for the great celebration.

3.  THE WEDDING CELEBRATION (FEAST) THAT WAS GIVEN BY A KING FOR HIS SON:  MATTHEW 22:1-14

In the passage in Matthew 22:1-14, Jesus is focused on who are invited to the wedding celebration and how they respond. 

Jesus begins by comparing the "Kingdom of Heaven" to a "wedding feast" that a king gave for his son.  (KJV uses simply "wedding," which is a literal translation.  "Feast" is not in the Greek, but is supplied in most other translations, including a 19th century one by Young. [thanks to Bible Gateway.com])  The king had invited people to come, and, when the feast was ready, he sent his servants to inform them that the feast was ready and they should come.  However, none of these invited guests came.  He sent a second group of servants, and the guests either went to their own pursuits (such as farming) or they killed the servants.  The king retaliated by killing the guests and burning their city.  He sent his servants to find whomever they could in the streets to come to the wedding feast and filled the wedding celebration.  

The Kingdom feast is by invitation only.  Some will be invited, but not come.  The refusal of those who are invited to come  seems to be an indictment of the nation of Israel, which has rejected Jesus and refused the eschatological feast of God that the coming of the Messiah (Jesus) represented.  The turning to the people in the streets and inviting them to take the place of the original ones who were invited seems to signal the fact that the Gentiles would be welcomed into the Kingdom.

4.  THE GREAT BANQUET:  Luke 14:15-24

This story is very similar to the one in Matthew, with the following exceptions:  

*It is not called a "wedding feast."  

*The invited guests do not kill the servants.  

*The urgency of finding people to fill the "house" or the feast hall with people is stressed, so that the servants are sent to the "streets and lanes of the city" and then to the "highways and hedges" to find people, especially the "poor and crippled and blind and lame."  

Again, as with the passage in Matthew 22:1-14, the implication is probably that the Gentiles, who were not the "chosen" ones, will be brought into the feast of God.

5.  THE FEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:  Matthew 8:11-12

Jesus responded to the faith of the Roman centurion, who showed great faith in Jesus for the healing of his servant.  Jesus' response was to predict that there would be many from "east and west" who will "recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."  But the "sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness."  This is an echo of Jesus' story of the wedding feast in Matthew 22 and in Luke 14.  The celebration rather than the wedding is focus, and who actually is allowed to enjoy the celebration is the message.

6.  THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS:  Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus tells a parable or allegory of the kingdom.  It is a somewhat elaborate scenario.  There are 10 "virgins," who probably played a role similar to bridesmaids.  They were hanging out waiting for the groom.  From what I could learn on the internet, they probably were with the bride at her house.  When the groom came, he and the bride would participate in a preliminary ceremony and then proceed to the groom's house for the main event--the wedding and the wedding feast.  When the groom comes, five of the virgins have no oil for the lamps, which they will carry through the streets to the groom's house or his father's house.  They try to borrow from the other five, who refuse to share.  So, they go out to buy oil.  While they are gone, the procession is held and the party enters the house where the wedding and feast will take place.  The door is shut.  The five arrive late and call to the groom, but he refuses, saying, "I do not know you."  The Lord then gives the warning:  "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." 

In this parable, the emphasis is on being prepared so that one is admitted into the wedding celebration.  I shall discuss what it is to be "ready" in item number 8 below.   

7.  THE WARNING TO BE READY TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR THE GROOM WHO IS RETURNING HOME:  Luke 12:35-40

This is really two scenarios or parables mixed together.  In the first scenario, a group of servants are at the groom's house.  The groom is at the wedding, probably being held at his father's house.  The groom returns home late in the night (probably with his bride).  The servants must be ready to let him in.  Then, the story shifts.  A thief comes in the middle of the night.  If the "master of the house" (the chief steward or chief servant) knows at what hour to expect the thief, he would be on guard and not allow the thief in.    

In example 6 and 7, the theme is readiness:  In the story of the 10 virgins, the foolish virgins have not come prepared with extra oil.  This results in their being left out of the wedding feast.  In the two examples in number 7 above, servants need to be ready for a sudden arrival.  They must be ready for the master, who has gotten married, to come home so they can let him in.  They--or at least their leader--must be ready for a thief so that he does not enter unexpectedly.  

8.  WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE "READY"?

What does it mean to be ready?  Jesus describes cases of lack of readiness in Matthew 24:36-51.  The cases are as follows.

*In the days of Noah, people were living out their lives oblivious to the spiritual crisis and the fact that Noah was building an ark in preparation for the flood.  So, the flood "swept them all away." (Matthew 24:37-39)

*The same example that is given in Luke 12:39 is presented in Matthew 24:43.  A thief comes during the night and the master of the house is not alert, so the thief breaks into the house.

*The most important examples are in Matthew 24:45-51.  A master puts one of his servants in charge of the others.  He takes care of them in a responsible way, making sure they get fed, for example.  The master returns and "catches" the head servant doing the right thing and rewards him with more responsibility.  However, the counter example is that the head servant decides the master is delayed and he mistreats his fellow servants and gets drunk.  The master pays a surprise visit and catches the head servant misbehaving and punishes him severely.  

So, "being ready" or not being ready means that a person is either engaged in responsible discipleship or not so engaged--even to the point of being oblivious, as with the contemporaries of Noah.  It is not a matter of keeping an eye on the sky, waiting for Jesus.  It is a matter of filling oneself with obedient love for the One who is coming back with his reward.  (Revelation 22:12)

8.  THE IDENTITY OF THE BRIDEGROOM:  Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19-20, Luke 5:34-35, John 3:29

In the examples in the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), Jesus is replying to criticism that his disciples do not fast.  He explains that there is a party going on.  The disciples are guests of the groom and are rejoicing with him.  They cannot be expected to fast.  It is obvious that Jesus is the bridegroom.  The bride is not identified, but the people of God who receive Jesus no doubt are the bride.  In John 3, John the Baptist is being questioned by his disciples as to the fact that Jesus is baptizing more people than John is.  But John refuses to be envious and explains that he is the "friend of the bridegroom" and rejoices to see that the one for whom he is the forerunner has come.  

So in this case, the identity of the bridegroom is the focus rather than the bride or those who are invited to the party.  In the next post I shall discuss the IDENTITY OF THE BRIDE.

REFERENCES:

Crossway.  The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (Thinline Edition).  Wheaton, Illinois:  Good News Publishers, Crossway, 2011.

Zondervan.  The Holy Bible, New International Version NIV.  Colorado Springs, CO:  Biblica, Inc., 2011.

Kenneth L. Barker, Gen. Ed.  The NIV Study Bible.  Grand Rapids, MI:  Zondervan, 2011.

 

REVELATION 21-22 PART A

 REVELATION 21-22 

A.  THE GREAT ANNOUNCEMENTS:  21:1-4

1.  New heaven and earth

In 20:11 John sees a "great white throne and him who was seated on it."  This introduces what is often called The Great White Throne Judgment or the Final Judgment.  As an aside, it is mentioned that "From his presence earth and sky [or heaven] fled away, and no place was found for them."  Now, in 21:1 this is followed up by "a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more."  We should probably connect this with verse 21:5, in which the Lord says "...I am making all things new."  It is of no consequence whether it is understood that God has fashioned a brand new universe or reconditioned the present one.  (Ladd, 276)  It seems significant that, with the notation that the "sea was no more," the old earth loses a huge symbol "of the dark, mysterious, and treacherous"  (Ladd, 276).  And, just as the sea is gone, other treacherous powers are removed so that the earth can keep the old framework that is cleansed and renewed.  

2.  New Jerusalem

John jumps immediately to one feature of this new creation in 21:2--the New Jerusalem.  The centrality of this holy city to the new earth is reflected by the fact that, in the description of the new state of things, 24 of 32 verses are centered on the New Jerusalem.  I shall discuss the New Jerusalem in another post that will focus on those 24 verses. 

3.  God dwells with people

He returns to the more general discussion in verses 21:3-4.  Those verses contain a most solemn declaration:  "the dwelling place of God is with man [as in ESV--"humanity" would also be appropriate]."  In John 1:14 another remarkable declaration is made:  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..."  This verse follows up the amazing description of the Word in John 1:1-4:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..."  The Logos (Word) of God, who is elsewhere described as the "only Son" [or "only begotten Son"], joined the human race in the person of the son of Mary and grew up to be known as Jesus of Nazareth.  This person was God Himself dwelling among us, fully God and fully human.  By accomplishing his mission in obedience to the Father (see Philippians 2:5-11), Jesus made salvation available to all who believe (see Luke 19:10, John 1:12-13, 3:16).  This salvation begins with living water within (John 4:14) and culminates in a river of life flowing from the throne in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:1).  

A key element of this salvation is eternal fellowship with God.  It begins, just as the salvation story began, veiled in flesh:  "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." (John 14:23)  So, we can enjoy, in this present order, the presence of God within us.  The salvation culminates with this powerful statement:  "...the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God."  (Revelation 21:3)  The experience of God within our heart now becomes the face-to-face experience of God.  

This new relationship with God is described as:  "He will dwell with them, and they will be his people." (Revelation 21:3b)  Although this does not have a dramatic ring to it, this is an important component of the new order of things.     

4.  End of:  tears, death, mourning, crying, pain; former things gone

One result of this fellowship with God is that God will comfort us and end all the "negative" factors of our lives.  This is summarized in Revelation 21:4:

*The end of tears

*The end of death

*The end of mourning

*The end of crying

*The end of pain

*The end of all the "former things"

Even in the present order of things, God is the "God of all comfort."  (II Corinthians 1:3)  The vision of the new order of things is that God will complete his work of comfort.  Whereas we at present continue to deal with affliction (see II Corinthians 1:3-7), someday God will wipe out all of the afflictions and bring us into a new creation that is free of affliction and filled with comfort.  

The comment at the end of verse 21:4 is that the "former things have passed away."  In I Corinthians 15:24-26, Paul explains:  "Then comes the end, when he [Christ] delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death."  What a list the "former things" would make!  We could name a few:  poverty, prejudice, hate, violence, cheating, lying, stealing, drunkenness, abuse, suicide, perversion, disease, drought, famine, mental illness, ignorance, pride, greed--you get the idea.  All those will be gone.  Jesus will destroy all those enemies that weigh people down and bring them tears and pain and fear and that complicate their lives.  They will be absent from the new order and God will fill up our lives with his own presence.

B.  THE ALPHA AND OMEGA:  21:5-8

1.  Makes all things new

Verses 21:3-4 are announcements from an anonymous voice from "the throne."  In 4:2, John has been transported to heaven and there he sees a throne "with one seated on the throne."  From this point on, a major person in the book is the "one seated [or who sits] on the throne":  see 4:9, 4:10, 5:1, 5:7, 5:13,6:16, 7:10, 7:15, 19:4, 21:5.  In 21:5, the one who is seated on the throne begins to make announcements.  The announcements of the voice from the throne are just as significant, but now we have a personal, "hands-on" sense of what God is doing.

Just as "the former things have passed away" (verse 21:4), now God announces that he is "making all things new."  We remember the statement in II Corinthians 5:17:  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."  That new creation takes place right in the midst of the present order of existence.  So, in a sense, God's creative acts in the future will allow the whole creation to "catch up" with what he has already done in us through our redemption in Christ.  It is also true that, not only will God make things new in the future, God is, at the present time, "making all things new."  The verb is in the present tense.  The present tense in Greek is "progressive," which means that it, usually, describes action that is ongoing.  God is in the process, even today, of making things new.

We should pause and reflect on that last statement.  In what sense is God making things new?  I should add that the wording could be translated:  "I am doing all-new things."  The word translated "making" is quite commonly translated "doing."  So, right beside the "former things," God is doing new things.  God is sending people who have never been called before into mission fields that have never been traversed before.  God is preaching the gospel to people who have never heard or preaching in ways that have never been heard.  God is confronting evil in ways that have not been used before.  The old gospel hymn "I Love to Tell the Story," by Katherine Hankey, says:  "And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song, 'twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long."  So, the old story gets told with fresh joy and in new, imaginative ways again and again.  So, God constantly does new things and creates new things and makes old things become new and fresh.  This aspect of God's work is an important expression of his redemption.  

The one who sits on the throne adds:  "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."  There is a common expression:  "Write it down."  I don't know if that expression came from this verse, but the verse and the old saying express a certain truth:  that which is significant should be recorded.  That God is making all things new should be on record.  For God is not an old-fogey God.  God is not trite or boring or repetitious.  God is constantly out in front of us, making exciting new things.  And when we come to the new heaven and earth, we will be astounded at the freshness of what God is doing.  

Not only is God's statement that he is making all things new "trustworthy and true," but also the statements that follow are "trustworthy and true."  "Trustworthy" translates the word "pistos," which is the adjective form of the word for "faith."  There is also a verb form of the word.  So we have "believe" or "have faith in" (verb), or "faith," "belief" (noun), or "faithful," "trustworthy," "believing" (adjective).  So the statements from God--what has preceded and what follows--are trustworthy--worthy of being believed and relied upon.  And, closely allied with that description is the fact that they are "true."  God always conveys truth to us.  He has confirmed and demonstrated his truthfulness and reliability in the experiences of his followers throughout the centuries.  

Now, we should examine the messages from God that follow this statement of God's truthfulness.  

2.  "It is done!"

First, God says, "It is done!" (21:6a)  The exclamation point, of course, is an editorial addition, since Greek did not have punctuation marks.  The verb is a very common one that has a large range of meanings.  The following meanings are from the very slim Greek dictionary that I consult regularly:  "become, be; happen, take place, arise...come into being, be born or created; be done (of things), become something (of persons); come, go...appear..."  Notice that "come into being" is central to the meaning.  So, the meanings "happen, take place" come out of the idea of becoming.  If an accident "happens," it has "come into being."  The following are translations (thanks to Bible Gateway) of the latter part of Luke 2:15 (the translation of the verb in question):

Young's Literal Translation:  "and see this thing that HATH COME TO PASS..."

King James Version:  "and see this thing which IS COME TO PASS..."

English Standard Version:  "and see this thing that HAS HAPPENED..."

New American Standard Version:  "and see this thing that HAS HAPPENED..."

New International Version:  "and see this thing that HAS HAPPENED..."

New Revised Standard Version:  "and see this thing that HAS TAKEN PLACE..."

The statement in Revelation 21:6 uses the perfect tense.  This Greek tense usually refers to "a present state which has resulted from a past action.  The present state is a continuing state; the past action is a completed action.  Therefore the perfect combines linear and punctiliar action."  (Brooks and Winbery, 104)  To expand the idea, the simple, one-word sentence could be translated:  "It has been completed so that it may always continue to be in the present time."  What is "it"?  To answer would be speculative, but, in the light of what follows, I believe "it" is the entire redemptive program of God.  God has completed that program.  

3.  Beginning and end

The Lord God now announces:  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."  It perhaps is no accident that the next to the last chapter of the last book in the Bible makes this announcement.  If one surveys the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, we recognize that God is the beginning--the creator of the universe--and the end--the one who has brought the enterprise of salvation to its conclusion.  But we must also recognize that this statement--that God is the beginning and the end--is not only a statement of what God has done, but also a statement of who God is.  God is the source of all things, the origin of existence itself.  And God is also the goal of all things.  All things find their completion in him.  Finally, keeping in mind that the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet are used to express these concepts, we recognize that God is also everything in between the beginning and the end.  Some like to advertize their service as "from A to Z," by which they mean that they expertly cover all aspects of their particular service.  So, they take care of "ALL your plumbing needs--from A to Z."  So, God is involved in every aspect of our lives--from A to Z, and he fills up our lives from beginning to end.

4.  Water of life for the thirsty

Now, the Lord extends an invitation.  It is the same invitation that was given to the woman at the well in John 4:10-14--to drink of the water of life.  This is the first of three mentions of the water of life in these last two chapters (Revelation 21:6, 22:1, 22:17).  Water is essential for life.  Water is a large proportion of most organisms.  When I taught biology, we would look with microscopes at cells of plants that had adequate water and see them expanded like balloons inside their walls.  One could see the difference in a celery plant that drooped when it was deprived of water and stiffened with adequate water.  Water is the medium within cells where essential chemical reactions take place.  The need for water to sustain life is a fundamental principle.  But there is another water that human life thirsts for.  The woman at the well had searched for that water in the relationships she had with men, but she always ended thirsting for life-giving water.  (John 4, see especially 4:7-26)  Jesus promised:  "Everyone who drinks of this water [from an ordinary well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.  The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13b-14)  Now, the Lord God returns to that theme in these final words of the Bible and promises:  "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."  (Revelation 21:6c)  Note the connection of this promise to the declaration that God--in Jesus--is the "Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."  (21:6b)  Not only for all humankind, not only in the big picture of God's redemption project, but also in the individual life and of the person who needs salvation, God is the Alpha and Omega who gives the life-giving water of salvation.  For the opioid addict, the wealthy banker, the busy mother, the overwhelmed college student, the Middle East terrorist, the communist in North Korea--for every individual on the planet, God offers the water of life.

What is this life he gives?  I briefly summarize as follows.  It is the forgiveness of a sinner from a righteous and holy God.  It is the reconciliation of a rebellious human with a loving Father God.  It is the healing and restoration of a broken soul whose life has been wasted.  It is the adoption of a lonely heart into the family of God.  It is the intimate presence of the Trinity through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  It is the resurrecting power of the Holy Spirit enabling one to fulfill God's purposes for one's life.  It the life that death cannot end, but that takes one to heaven and will raise the body into resurrection life.  It is absolutely free, but cost the life of Jesus as he died on the cross for our sins.  It is a life filled with blessing, hope, joy, and peace.  It is in the here and now but has the quality of eternity, for "eternal life" describes not just how long it lasts but what the quality of that life is.  Without it, life is as limp as a stalk of celery needing water;  with it, life is fully abundant.  God extends this invitation to all of us.

5.  The conqueror's heritage

Verse 21:7 takes a bit of a turn:  "The one who conquers will have this heritage..."  The Greek uses a verbal phrase rather than a noun:  "will receive these things."  The verb "receive" is related to two nouns:  "property" and "heir."  So, the verb is close to the idea of "inherit."  So, God is promising the "water of life" as a heritage to the "one who conquers."  He also promises a deep "family" relationship:  "I will be his God and he will be my son."  We could interpret it:  He will be a son of God.  See John 1:12-13.  

The verb "conquer" or some variant is used 16 times in Revelation.  I shall mostly focus on those that deal with the Christian as conqueror.  It is used in Revelation 2 and 3 in the letters to the churches.  In each letter, there is a word to "the one who conquers." (2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26-28, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21)  In the cases of some the churches, the churches are in very poor spiritual condition, yet, in every case, there is a promise to "the one who conquers."  I believe that this is saying to the individual:  "even though you may be in a very destructive spiritual environment, if you can conquer the effects of that situation at least for yourself, then I have this promise for you."  The promises are the following:

*To eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God (2:7--church at Ephesus)

*Not to be hurt by the second death (2:11--church at Smyrna)

*hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it (2:17--church at Pergamum)

*authority over the nations...to rule them with a rod of iron...and the morning star (2:26-28--church at Thyatira)

*to be clothed in white garments and never to have his name blotted out of the book of life and Jesus will confess his name before his Father and his angels (3:5--church at Sardis)

*to make him a pillar in the temple of God and to have the name of God written on him and the name of the city of God and Jesus' own new name (3:12--church at Philadelphia

*to sit with Jesus on his throne (3:21--church at Laodicea)

Notice that these promises are given separately to the individuals of different churches, but they are promises that all will share.  Notice also how much of the future is incorporated into these promises.  This is true even though they are also promises for the present life, at least in some cases.  Thus, the tree of life is a future entity, but we receive that life even today, even as we eat the hidden manna and have authority over the nations and have God's name written on us and are seated with Jesus on his throne (see, for example, Ephesians 2:6).  

What does it mean to conquer?  If we look at the context of these verses, we see, as I mentioned, churches that are struggling to be obedient and worthy churches.  They are being reprimanded, exhorted, and warned.  For example, the church at Ephesus is described as having "abandoned the love you had at first."  Since love is the defining Christian quality, this is a very serious charge.  Christ exhorts them to "remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first."  He warns that, if they do not respond in this way, he will "remove your lampstand from its place..."  The lampstands of the churches are mentioned in 1:12 and explained as representing the seven churches (1:20).  So, for Christ to remove the lampstand would be tantamount to removing the church as a legitimate body of Christ.  It may continue a physical presence, but it no longer would be a true church in the eyes of Jesus.  

In the midst of this situation of Ephesus, Jesus gives a promise to the one who conquers.  And so he does with the six churches.  We may classify some of these churches as "better" than Ephesus, but none of the churches can be thought of as great churches that we want as models for our own local church.  In the midst of all of these struggling churches, Jesus believes there will be those who conquer.  King James Version uses the word "overcome."  Although it is old-fashioned, it may be a more vivid word for us.  Jesus is encouraging whoever can hear him (see 2:7, 2:11, etc.) to get "on top of the situation," not to allow it to drag one down but to seek to live above one's environment.  This is not, I believe, saying to ignore the situation, but rather to be a leader and to be influential in turning things around.  And, even if the church does not turn around, Jesus is calling on the individual to live well--to love, to help people, to keep praying, to remind people of the gospel and the messages found in the Scriptures.  In short, to be "a good Christian" in the midst of a bad environment.  Obviously, in some cases--for example in urban areas--there may be an option to "move on"--to leave a toxic environment and find another church that is healthy.  Whatever to "conquer" may mean in a particular situation, Jesus is giving two messages:  he is saying he is aware of the spiritual condition of a church and he is also aware of the spiritual condition of the individuals within that church.  He is watching to see the response of the whole church and the responses of the individuals.

Christians not only have the spiritual environment of their churches to contend with.  They also have "the world"--the non-Christian environment--that has a powerful impact on their lives.  Some of the letters to the churches depict what churches and individual Christians were faced with at the time of the writing of Revelation.  For example Christians in Smyrna were facing imprisonment (2:10).  In Pergamum a man named Antipas was killed for his Christian witness (2:13).  

In Revelation there is also a prediction of persecution in the last days.  At least physically, the "world," especially the empire of the Beast, will be the conqueror (see 11:7 and 13:7).  However, Christians also are depicted as the conquerors.  In 12:11 the "brothers" are said to have "conquered him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."  Note the three primary weapons that conquer the devil:  the redemption that comes through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the testimony of Christians about Jesus, and the determination of Christians that they will prefer death to compromise with the devil.  Notice also that it is really Jesus who is the conqueror.  As we put our trust in him, we participate in his victory.  Another approach to the concept of conquering is in Paul's discussion of the "whole armor of God" that is described in Ephesians 6:13-18:  truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and Spirit-led prayer.  

Christians have a calling:  to be conquerors.  The first step toward conquering is the momentous decision to be a Christian.  As we make that decision, we step into the victory that Christ has already won.  As we continue to follow Jesus, we experience the ongoing need to be conquerors.  Sometimes that means conquering our own sinful desires, our own fears, our own bad attitudes.  Sometimes it means conquering a toxic environment within a church.  Sometimes it means conquering the anti-Christ environment of the culture we find ourselves in.  Whatever our situation, we are designated to be conquerors, and Christ promises rich blessings to the one who is victorious.        

6.  The destiny of the evil ones:  Lake of Fire

"BUT":  There is also a warning.  (Revelation 21:8)  To those who do not heed the word of God, to those who refuse to repent and to trust Jesus, God has no choice.  This warning is issued to a list of people that God puts together--we would not necessarily put this group together as God as done. However, we would be wise to notice the list as it is drawn up.  Note the SECOND type on the list are the "faithless."  This is often translated "unbelieving" or "unbeliever."  These are people that have not believed the gospel of Christ and been saved.

The FIRST on the list are the "cowardly."  This seems strange, but it really makes good sense.  The only other use of this word elsewhere is the incident in which Jesus calmed the storm.  Jesus said to the disciples:  "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?"  (Matthew 8:26, parallel in Mark 4:40)  So, "afraid" or "cowardly" really is a condition brought on by lack of faith!  In the context of describing the promises to those who conquer, it makes sense that this condition--the cowardice that comes from unbelief--would be listed first.  

There follows the conditions of unbelievers.  There are the "detestable."  These are those who have fallen so deeply into sin (no matter how respectable they seem) that they are repugnant to God.  There follow "murderers, sexually immoral" and so forth.  Now the lesson of chapter 20:11-15 is repeated:  all of these wind up in the "lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."  

20th and 21st century evangelicals have emphasized the need to believe the gospel and to have one's name written in the Book of Life.  In Revelation 20:15, this is the all-encompassing category of those who end up in the Lake of Fire.  However, there is a tendency to ignore the earlier examination in the judgment:  "And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done."  (Revelation 20:12c)  Yes, of course, faith in Christ is the deciding factor in determining salvation.  Of course, having one's name written in the Book of Life is the deciding factor in determing salvation.  But it is also important to recognize that people who do not have faith are "cowardly..detestable...murderers...sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolators...liars..."  Some have kept their noses relatively clean.  Some have a veneer of respectability.  Some even may not have any overt sins to speak of.  Yet, they have some stuff written in those books that Jesus is going to open.  And they will be reminded of attitudes, secret desires, and small sins in the world's eyes but dark and ugly and monstrous in their own eyes--and in the eyes of God.  Those sins will be recorded and they will be judged for those sins as well as the fact that they have rejected Jesus as their Savior.  And their name will not be in the Book of Life and they will be thrown into the Lake of Fire and not receive that inheritance that God has in store for the Christian--for the one who has conquered through faith in Jesus.

REFEERENCES

Brooks, James A. and Carlton L. Winbery.  Syntax of New Testament Greek.  Lanham, MD:  University Press of America, 1979.

Crossway.  The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.  Wheaton, Il:  Crossway, a division of Good News Publishers, 2001.

Ladd, George Eldon.  A Commentary on the Revelation of John.  Grand Rapids, Mi:  William B. Eerdmans Publ. Co., 1972.