And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. – Revelation 8:2

Today's Scripture Reading (July 18, 2024): Revelation 8

The number seven is significant in the Bible. It is the number of completeness. God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day, he rested, but by the end of the seventh day, creation was complete, or at least, all of the building blocks were present after the seventh day to provide for a healthy world. Part of the problem of our day is that we have been steadily taking away from what God had created, making the world an unhealthy place. God created it whole, but we have steadily set ourselves to the task of breaking what God had created complete and perfect.

I keep returning to the genealogy of Jesus presented in Matthew. I found Matthew's genealogy problematic when I was younger because it was wrong. Some generations are skipped, and one generation is counted twice. Skipping generations is one thing, but what made it so problematic for me, and I need to stress that it really was my problem, was Matthew making this statement at the end of the genealogy.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah (Matthew 1:17).

But there weren't. The numbers have been manufactured and adjusted.

However, I was missing the point. The message that Matthew was trying to share with me was that everything that took place happened at the appropriate time. God is in control. Fourteen, or two times seven, generations simply indicates that when David rose to power, the timing of the Babylonian exile, and the coming of the Messiah, all came at the perfect time or in the fullness of time. God had ordained these moments.

In Jewish thought, seven angels are continually in the presence of God. We have given them the title of Archangels, and they are considered to be the most important of the angels. We have even given them names. Maybe the most famous of the Archangels is Gabriel. He is the messenger of God and often is involved in carrying messages from the throne room of God to the earth, such as when he brought the news that Jesus was going to be born in Bethlehem in the New Testament. Michael is the warrior angel and is often seen carrying a sword. Incidentally, Gabriel and Michael are the only two Archangels named in the Bible.

The other Archangels include Raphael, who is thought to be one of the angels who met Abraham and went into Sodom before the city's destruction. Jegudiel is the bearer of mercy and love. Selaphiel is the angel of prayer, and his name means "I have asked God." Uriel is the archangel associated with knowledge and wisdom. And finally, Barachiel is the angel associated with blessing. Please don't get lost in the various angels; it is a side road that might be interesting for some, but it is not strengthening in any way.

John seems to agree with Jewish thought as he mentions the seven angels that gather around the throne of God. He doesn't give us their names or even their purposes. He just affirms that these seven angels exist, carrying out the will of God at a moment's notice.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 9

And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." – Revelation 7:10

Today's Scripture Reading (July 17, 2024): Revelation 7

I have found that there is a helplessness in being unemployed. I have spent long periods without a job or without a job that makes the most of my talents. I remember sending out job resumes during one stretch and even applying for a job making wood shakes. After an interview for the wood shake-making job, the interviewer dismissed me with the words, "You are overqualified for this job." My reaction was that I didn't care; I needed work. I could do a crossword puzzle on my lunch break, but at that moment, I just wanted to go to work. I didn't get the job, and it was the first time I was tempted, not to pad my resume, but to remove the educational and some of the experiences on my job application.

During this time in my life, I remember being in rooms with people and realizing that these people had the jobs that I needed. These jobs belonged to them, and my task was to get my name in front of them to be considered for the jobs they possessed. Sometimes, I got frustrated because I couldn't figure out how to do it. One such time was when a Pastor I had known in my teens was hiring a youth pastor. And it felt that my prior relationship with the leader should at least get me an interview. But it didn't. Connecting those who needed a job with those who possessed the jobs seemed more a matter of chance than anything else. Ultimately, I discovered I couldn't earn the job; someone had to be willing to take a chance on me and give me the job. Then, I could either be successful at the task or fail. Until that moment arrived, I could only wait to get my chance at bat.

In John's vision, a great multitude gathers. The multitude is made up of a representation of all the people of the earth. The multitude is multi-racial; they are from various socio-economic groups and speak different languages. But they come with a single message: Salvation belongs to our God. Salvation is his possession. No one can earn it; salvation must be given away.

Luckily, that is precisely what God wants to do. He desires to give us the salvation that he possesses. But first, we must be willing to understand that salvation belongs to God and be prepared to accept the gift that he gives us. Too often, that isn't the case. We come to the table believing that we can possess salvation. We can earn it or build it. But the bottom line is that we can save ourselves and don't need anyone else.

But we can't. Salvation will never belong to us unless God gives it to us, and we are willing to receive something that belongs only to the creator of the cosmos.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 8

For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it? – Revelation 6:17

Today's Scripture Reading (July 16, 2024): Revelation 6

It happened on a Sunday afternoon radio program in 1950. A group of scientists were discussing the development of a hydrogen bomb. And on this radio show, the central message seemed to be, you thought that the atomic bomb was powerful, the hydrogen bomb would be even more powerful. No city in the world would be able to withstand the blast. At the time of this radio program, the hydrogen bomb was still in development. It had not been built yet. But these scientists were sure that it would be built, and not only that but it would be built by the United States and also by Russia. It was the early days of the first Cold War, and nothing struck fear into the hearts of the West better than to know that their enemy would soon have the most potent weapon in the world in their possession. Soon, these weapons would also be in the hands of minor powers who would use them or threaten to use them for their varied purposes. All in all, it was a weighty topic for a Sunday afternoon radio show in 1950.

But near the end of the show, one of the scientists suggested that, with a minor tweak and the inclusion of a fairly common substance, the hydrogen bomb could be transformed from a weapon capable of leveling any city in the world into a weapon that would eradicate the entire world. With a minor tweak to this weapon that had not yet been built, anyone possessing the weapon could destroy all life on the planet. The substance that needed to be added was cobalt.

Cobalt in a mixed form has been known to the human race from the third millennium B.C.E. (2000-3000 B.C.E.). It is found in Egyptian sculpture and Persian jewelry. But no one guessed that such an innocent element, when added to a hydrogen bomb, would end life on the planet. It wasn't that it would make the blast more powerful, but adding cobalt would allow a toxic dust to be distributed through the earth, making life impossible. No one could withstand such a weapon. The information revealed on that radio show in 1950 caused panic among North American listeners. Was it possible that anyone with a plan could end the world?

After the sixth seal is opened, an earthquake strikes and the people run to hide in the caves and among the rocks. They pray that the rocks will fall on them, hiding them from the wrath of God. Then John asks an important question. The great day of God's wrath had come upon them, and if that is true, who can withstand it?

The answer, of course, is no one. We can't stand against God; we never could. And even with all of our technological advances, we still can't withstand the wrath of God. It was the point John was trying to make to his audience. Jesus said there was only one way to Father; John saw the reality of that statement. As his vision progresses, John asks, "Who can withstand God's wrath?" The answer is no one. And that is why we all need Jesus.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 7

But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. – Revelation 5:3

Today's Scripture Reading (July 15, 2024): Revelation 5

It was called "Excalibur." It was a sword that possessed some sort of magical power that could only be wielded by the one who was worthy and belonged on the throne of England. To protect its use by an unauthorized person, it is placed in a stone, and only the one who is worthy can remove it from its hiding place. Many tried. Strong men grasped the handle of the sword and attempted to pull it from the stone, but all failed.

All that is until Arthur is exposed to the sword. Finally, the one worthy of removing the sword from the stone had arrived. Or, so the legend says. The story of the Sword in the Stone is a tale that I have known since early in my childhood, and it ushered my young imagination into the Arthurian legend of this good king and his Knights of the Round Table.

In his vision, John sees someone sitting on a throne with a scroll in his hand. The scroll has writing on both sides, but no one can open it or peek inside. There is no one worthy to receive the message of the scroll. It is not that no one tried to open the scroll or find someone strong enough to receive the message. An angel had been dispatched to find someone who was worthy, and strong angels had probably tried to open the scroll, but no one was found.

It is a story that resembles the Sword in the Stone from the Arthurian legend. It involves the tale of the search for the one who is worthy. And it is not brute strength that is the key to withdrawing the sword from the stone or opening the scroll. It is something different and intangible. Pastor David Guzik makes this observation. 

There was no answer to the strong angel's challenge because the creation is utterly incapable of deciding or effecting its own destiny. Someone above the order of created beings must determine the course of history – only God can unfold this plan (David Guzik).

Of course, the story of The Sword in the Stone sets us up for the legend and the character of Arthur. The search for the one who can open the scroll sets us up for Jesus, the uncreated one who can open the scroll and read the words contained within it.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 6

 

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." – Revelation 4:1

Today's Scripture Reading (July 14, 2024): Revelation 4

Chronology is important. Maybe more important to those of us today than it was to those who lived during Bible times. We often treat the Gospels as if they were a historical record. But the truth is that they were written with a thematic structure in mind and not chronology. Therefore, the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) present us with a story, but they often tell a tale that includes the same events but differ in order. Each author wanted to tell us what happened but grouped the events differently according to the message they wanted to give us.

Acts of the Apostles appear to be much more chronologically grounded. It tells the story of what happened after Jesus's death and resurrection. "After" is a chronological word. It indicates order.

Revelation 4 represents a transition to a third section of John's Revelation. The first section was an introduction and a vision of Christ. The second section was the Letters to the Seven Churches. And now, the third section begins in heaven. John says "After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven." The Greek word for "after this" is "meta tauta" and indicates a chronological connection, something that takes place "post" something else. The obvious connection is with the previous section; the events about to be described occur after the era of "The Letters to the Churches."

If we are trying to puzzle a meaning out of Revelation, it would seem that we need to decide what the "Letters to the Seven Churches" means or at least their time frame. Most of Christendom would seem to treat Revelation as if it is a road map into the future. This interpretation may arise from the idea that the "Letters to the Seven Churches" describe different historical eras. According to that theory, we are currently living in the last era, the time of Laodicea, marked by a church that is neither hot nor cold, a time when we think we are rich, but in reality, we are "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17). It is a description that seems to be accurate to the times in which we live.

But if the Letters to the Churches were really anchored in John's time, then it would seem just as plausible that these events took place in the years of the second century. What appears to be impossible is that these events were fulfilled before or during John's time. The words "after this" just don't seem to allow us to apply that interpretation.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 5

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. – Revelation 3:7

Today's Scripture Reading (July 13, 2024): Revelation 3

Jesus starts his letter to the Philadelphian Church by telling the recipient who he is; he tells the church this letter is from the one who is holy and true and who holds the keys of David. Jesus tells them, "I am the one who is holy; I am set apart." 

As he remembers his call into ministry, Isaiah says that he saw the Lord sitting on a throne. And the angels cried out, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, and the earth is filled with his glory." Isaiah was afraid. "I am ruined," he exclaimed. It is our reaction when we come into the presence of the Holy One. We don't measure up. We can't.

I love the honesty in Peter's reaction when he was called to follow Jesus. Sitting in Peter's boat, Jesus had been teaching from the water's edge. After he had finished speaking to the crowd, he told Peter to row out into the water and catch fish. Peter hadn't caught anything all night. By now, the time for fishing was long gone. Because Jesus was the one who asked, he said yes. I suspect Peter said "yes" in the same way that sometimes people respond to my request. I really don't want to, but because you are the Pastor, okay.

But, on this day, Jesus was about to show this fisherman he was different. Jesus was the Holy One; he was set apart and distinct. Today, Peter would catch so many fish that the net would begin to break. Peter looked at the rabbi and realized that Jesus was so much more than just a teacher. I think Peter realized deep in his heart that this was the Holy One sent from God, and he said, "Get away from me, for I am a man of unclean lips."

We often talk about Jesus being our friend and our brother and God being our father. I wonder if sometimes we forget that they are also the holy ones, the set-apart ones, and they are different from us. God is holy by himself; I am holy only as he moves through me. So, Jesus says I am the Holy One.

But he also says I am the true one. They are not words we handle well in our society. Whenever I hear the word truth, I hear the voice of Pontius Pilate in the 70s rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar," spouting the philosophy of our generation. "What is truth? Is this some unchanging law? We both have truths, are mine the same as yours" (Tim Rice, Jesus Christ, Superstar)?

Not only is Jesus the Holy One, but He is the objective, unchanging truth. We Christians will get nowhere until we realize this fact about Jesus. In him, there is no "What is truth for you is not necessarily truth for me." Jesus said my followers will hear me, know my voice, and obey. They will find truth in me.

Jesus says, I am holy and true and hold the key of David. The final phrase speaks of his authority to do. One ultimate truth is that Jesus can open and shut doors, and we don't have the power to go against his authority.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 4

 

 

I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. – Revelation 2:13

Today's Scripture Reading (July 12, 2024): Revelation 2

The original Pergamum was a center for idolatry.  It was a place where Satan indeed seemed to live.  Pergamum contained many distractions for the Christian believer and taught that there were many ways to God. All of this contrasts Jesus' words as he gathered his disciples together on the night he was betrayed. Thomas asked the question as the disciples gathered around him that night. Jesus, how can we know the way when we don't know where you are going? Jesus's answer was clear; "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus says that the church in the city of Pergamum had remained faithful to Jesus's teaching. Amid the religious diversity, they heard the truth of Jesus's words and followed him.

Some have speculated that each of these churches in Revelation corresponds to an age or an era in church history. For the church of the Age of Pergamum, that age might have been during the time following the reign of Constantine. At that time, the church faced some unique trials. Pergamum means 'elevation' or 'marriage.' During the Christian Roman Era that Emperor Constantine instituted, the church was instantly elevated and experienced a marriage to the state. It was not a good thing.  Many scholars question whether the conversion experience of Constantine was real or a matter of convenience. Experts wonder whether Constantine really saw a blazing "symbol of Christ" in the sky, heard God's voice telling him to go and conquer in this sign, and believed in Jesus Christ for his salvation, or whether he saw the writing on the wall and knew that, despite persecution, the church of Jesus Christ was growing strong, and like some contemporary politicians of our day, took the name of Jesus Christ as the way to consolidate needed political power so he could rule Rome as a single emperor. Those who believe the latter would tell you that Constantine's life never measured up to that of a Christian. If he was trying to live as a Christian, he had an inferior idea of what a Christian was like.

Constantine elevated the Christian Church and declared himself to be its protector. Still, he also held on to the title of Pontifex Maximus, literally protector of all the Roman pagan religions. A coin cast from Constantine's reign can be found in the British Museum, which sums up life in the Early Roman Christian Empire.  On one side of the coin are found symbols of the Christian Church.  On the reverse side are symbols of the other early pagan religions.

Despite where they lived, Jesus commends the church of Pergamum. Notwithstanding all the distractions, they held that Jesus was the Son of the Living God, existed as God himself, and was the only way to the Father. Amid all the pagan religions that talked about beings that are half God and half man, the age of Pergamum was able to come up with a statement of faith that once and for all stated that Jesus was very God and very man.     

Sometimes, in our era, we forget that we are not the first to face religious diversity.  And yet Jesus's words speak truth to us as well. We hold that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. We, too, believe that he is very God and very man.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 3