The Ark in Heaven

“Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.” Revelations 11:19

This verse has arrested me since I read it again for this series of blogs on the book a Revelations. It is this idea that what God calls us to build on earth is reflected in heaven. In Exodus 25: 8-9 God gives Moses a command for the people of Israel. “... have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Now the pattern and its significance are drawn out for us in Hebrews 8:5 “They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.”

Ancient Rabbinical teachers add to our understanding of these truths.

"... the structure of the Tabernacle corresponds to the structure of heaven and earth." Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 149a -

"Now, the Tabernacle below was likewise made after the pattern of the supernal Tabernacle in all its details. For the Tabernacle in all its works embraced all the works and achievements of the upper world and the lower, whereby the Shekinah was made to abide in the world, both in the higher spheres and the lower. Similarly, the Lower Paradise is made after the pattern of the Upper Paradise, and the latter contains all the varieties of forms and images to be found in the former. Hence the work of the Tabernacle, and that of heaven and earth, come under one and the same mystery."¹ Soncino Zohar, Shemoth, Section 2, Page 231a –

The fall of man meant of fall of creation and hence the Earth. This was not God’s design for men or for the earth. His desire for man and creation is that we reflect his glory. When glory is manifest, heaven is manifested as well. Remember Jesus walked with Adam in the cool of the garden.

The book of Hebrews really brings out the ‘why’ of this heaven and earth connection.  ^“ because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.  Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7: 24-25

The ark was holy as Jesus was holy. The intercession and his atonement do not make us better. They make us perfect. Therefore holy things must be approached reverently, fearfully, and discretely as they are the vows of a wedding . One Old Testament illustration and one New Testament illustration will illuminate this for us. 1 Chronicles 13:9-10 “When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died”

The first point is that the ark was not supposed to be drawn by oxen but carried by men. The second is that we need to be prepared to touch holy things through the atonement of Jesus. Even as men carried the holiness of God properly following the death of Uzza they made a sacrifice of a bull every six steps.

In John 20:17 Jesus speaks these words to Mary Magdalene “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” The resurrected Jesus makes it clear that his Glorification is not complete until he appears before the Father in the temple with the ark in heaven. In his humanity he equates himself with Mary and with all of us. Truly, we are coming to a time in which his will is the same on earth as it is in heaven.

But before that happens we will review heaven rebelling within itself in Revelations 12 which will come next. As we get into the first verse of chapter 12 we are going to see the nature of Jesus’ intercession and Satan’s hatred of it.

1 http://www.yashanet.com/studies/revstudy/rev2.htm

Why I am Mid Tribulation in Brief

While considering the question of the mid tribulation rapture let me address the clearest objection to this position from the outset.   This objection is the immanency question.  It is thought that if you are looking for the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place this negates your eyes being set on the coming of our savior.   Steve Lemke of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary addresses the question in following manner.  

 “Because the signs of the end are events that happen periodically to some degree at all times, it will not be clear even to those who are undergoing the tribulation the precise moment of its beginning. The gradual worsening of events may be suggestive but not determinative of being in the tribulation…. like a frog in a slowly heated pot, those undergoing the tribulation may not discern the meaning of the events. The beginning of the tribulation would not be clearly noticed, thus no one would be able to set accurately the date of the events of the end based on the date of the beginning of the signs of the end. One can thus expect the return of Christ as immanent at any time.”[1] 

I will grant this is not the strongest argument but I think it is a valid one.  Who could argue against Hitler being a precursor to the antichrist?  It is not the argument against the mid tribulation coming of Christ that convinces me of this position but the argument for it.  Daniel 7:25 is a reasonable place to start.  It speaks about a King who will try to change the times and will fight with God’s people for 3 ½ years. 

“This king will speak against the Most High God, and he will hurt and kill God’s holy people. He will try to change times and laws that have already been set. The holy people that belong to God will be in that king’s power for three and one-half years.”

Why would anyone want to change the “times” or calendar?  Because our calendar is based on the birth of Jesus Christ!  This was also done during the French Revolution, another time in which the spirit of Anti-Christ took authority over part of the world.  

Two key passages in the scriptures separate out distinctive time frames in the tribulation period.

“And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth forever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12: 6-8 and Revelations 12:14 “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Time, times and a half means, three and a half years and if this three and a half year period of time were not significant why is highlighted so? 

I am a practical man when it comes to interpreting the scriptures.  I ask simple questions.  Why does God divide a seven year period of time in half? Seven years is a very short period of time in the scripture.  He does it because there are important things happening. 

Could it be the following? “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;” He is then described for us, “ Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-4.

A more thorough teaching on this topic can be found at the below link.

 http://www.nobts.edu/faculty/itor/lemkesw/personal/midtribulationism.html

 

In my view of scripture Matthew 24, Mark 13, 1 and 2 Thessalonians as well as the timing of the last trumpet in Revelations 11 are harmonious.  It is the strength of this harmony that has leads me to the mid tribulation position. Finally, one last quote from Steve Lemke to support my position.

The ‘Mid-tribulationalism position offers a better account of the scriptural division of the events of the end times in two halves than does pre-tribulationalism. Post-tribulationalists, like pre-tribulationalists, ignore or gloss over the precise language separating the signs and events of the end into two distinct periods.” 

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[1]  http://www.nobts.edu/faculty/itor/lemkesw/personal/midtribulationism.html

The Resurrection and the Rapture, One Event

“The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” Revelations 11:18

This portion of the book of Revelations introduces what is going to transpire over next 11 chapters. The verse forces me to address a number of questions. This verse is and controversial. I have always said to those who have sat under my teaching that when a bible teacher meets a controversy he is obligated to teach the controversy. I readily admit that I am going to be biased to my position in this blog.

So where is the controversy?

It is the timing and the nature of the resurrection of the dead in Christ. In Revelations studies this is usually covered in chapter 20. The topic, however presents it self at just the place God wants it to. Revelation 11:15 is the center of the tribulation, and in my reading of the scripture initiates the coming of the Lord the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the righteous in one event. I think the scriptures are clear on this topic but I am in the minority in my position.

Six trumpets have sounded. Now the seventh is being blown.

Matthew 24:29-31 provide us a parallel time table.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

There is nothing that is unclear about “after the tribulation days” I think the problem is two fold. One is that the church, especially the western church, simply wants to avoid tribulation. The second is that waiting for the trumpet to sound removes the immediacy of the Lord's coming. Paul dealt with this question. We just don't like the answer.

“Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2 Thessalonians 1: 1-4

The elements of this verse that are important are that the resurrection of the dead and the rapture are linked as one event and neither can happen until the antichrist is revealed. Contextually, 1 Corinthians 15 deals with the question of the the resurrection. Resurrection and rapture should always be linked as one event. The chapters concluding remarks on this subject say these words.

“in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:52-57

I want to reiterate that I am only covering the resurrection of the righteous not those who have died in their sins. “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelations 20:6

The other important point to make about the resurrection of the righteous and the rapture is that the saints that were martyred during the tribulation are there.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. And I saw souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” Revelations 20:4-6

If tribulation saints are at the first resurrection then it must happen after the tribulation is complete!
Now for those who quote the passage. From 1 Thessalonians 5:9 that say, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” I say I agree. The first three years of the tribulation are the wrath of man the second the wrath of God. I will take this topic up I the next blog.

What Will We Do When Jesus Returns?

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” Revelations 11:15

This a great verse but should begin chapter 12 not end chapter 11 JESUS IS BACK!!!

He is back in full authority. Matthew 28 delegates a great deal of his authority to the church, Jesus says “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Don't feel bad about what the church has done! We have our errors, some of them are great, but the Gospel message has been broadcast throughout the earth. Hospitals, schools, orphanages, fill the planet with his witness. Every generation has had their martyrs. Not everyone has received us but not everyone received him. "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me." Luke 10:16

What does Jesus' return mean, adulation? Yes, from those who receive him! From those who don't, the answer is War! It has been this way since before the foundations of the earth. There has always been a separation between those that acknowledge God as God and those who are determined to make their own God's.

“And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” Revelations 11:16-17
With the Lord a day is as a 1000 years and 1000 years as a day, but somehow I think angelic host have eagerly awaited this moment. The humility of Jesus is such that he never demands love or worship. But I see 'angels with attitude' glaring through time saying to each other, “who do they think they are!” “who do they think they are talking to!” They have a Peter type spirit who could chop off a soldiers ear when it was time to fight but could not stand up to a little child's question when he saw his strong savior “being lead like a lamb to the slaughter” Judgment time has arrived, it gives the Lord no joy. It is necessary not desired.

“The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” Revelations 11:18

Nations being angry with God immediately brings me to thinking about Psalm 2: 1-4. Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. The Lord is about to judge all the nations, as well as those that have served him well during their days on earth. Revelations 11:18 is glazed over in several of the commentaries that I consulted. I will pray that I will cover it well in my next blog.

Moses and Elijah Mojo

“I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”  They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Revelations 11: 1-6

The temple being described is a pre millennial temple that is rebuilt in Jerusalem.  Two of the most obvious signs that we are in the last days are the establishment of Israel as a nation and the great outpouring of knowledge we have seen in regards to technology.  Both will be evident in the scriptures that we are reading today.  Daniel 12:4 says “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

John is told to measure the temple.  The idea of measurement is related to the idea of ownership. Habakkuk 3:6 describes God standing and measuring the earth.  The Lord is taking ownership of this end time temple.  It is a Jewish temple where I am sure the 144,000 worship and serve God.  The Gentiles have their place in the kingdom of God, but it is not in the inner sanctuary of the temple.  The group of Gentiles present detests what is holy. They trample the temple for three and a half years, or half of the tribulation period.  Two witnesses are stationed at the temple to prophecy.  They have Mosses like and Elijah like power.  Moses turned the water into blood and Elijah shut up the rain in the time of King Ahab.

Some believe that the witnesses are actually these Moses and Elijah.  Enoch is the other person that is mentioned.  Neither Enoch nor Elijah died. Based on Hebrews 9:27 that says; it is appointed for a man to die once.  The scriptures do not tell us.  If God wants to spare these men from death he has the prerogative to do so.  The witnesses could simple be end time prophets.  No matter who they are they are powerful and they have authority over the power that God has given them. 

We should pay attention to this principle! God has given us authority in a number of realms.  We should be wise in exercising it based on this concept. “I always do what pleases the Father.”  

^“Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.” Revelations 11: 7-10

Men can make what is Holy profane quickly. Jerusalem, the place of temple is described as Sodom and like Egypt.  Sodom is a place of self indulgence, sexual immorality that is devoid of charity.  Egypt is a place of idolatry, oppression, and cruelty.  Yet we are reminded it is the place where to Lord was crucified.  The Cross is not just in Jerusalem! No, it is in the greed of Wall Street, the pornography district of Los Angeles, the headquarters of the Taliban, wherever there are sinners, there is the Cross calling out!  Men dance around the dead bodies of God’s witnesses for three and half days.  They give each other gifts and declare a Holiday at their destruction.  There is not equivalent to a Roman soldier saying; “truly this was a righteous man” Until they spring to their feet and are called to heaven.

“Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Revelation 11:12-13

The “glory they gave to heaven” does not appear to be repentance but acknowledgement that God is real.  Indeed the day is drawing near when every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of the Father.   

Rainbow Bandanna Mercy

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.  He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” Revelations 10: 1-4

Revelations 10 is yet another example of the mercy of God being manifested before all of mankind.  There is an interlude between the sixth and the seventh trumpet.  Chapter 10 and the first fourteen verses of chapter 11 describe what happens.  Satan’s fallen angels have just had their limited way with mankind.  A third of the population has been killed.  No one has repented.  Trumpet judgment number seven makes perfect sense… but God!  What does he do? He shows forth the glory of heaven and sends the two most powerful evangelists in the history of mankind to preach the Gospel with signs and wonders following.   I will write about these evangelists in an upcoming blog. 

 

A high ranking angel with the sign of a covenantal rainbow on his head comes forth through the clouds.   This is significant because a great deal of the earth is on fire.  God told us he would never flood the earth again and he has not.  The angel is holding a small scroll.  Seven thunders speak, and John is forbidden to write down what is said.  Everything we know about God has been revealed, but not everything known about God has been revealed.   Even when we study His nature throughout eternity will not exhaust what he is able to show us.  

We know that this angel is not Jesus despite the glorious description.  He swears by him who lives forever, who indeed is Jesus.

 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. “And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay!” Revelations 10: 5-6

The last warning is being sounded.  John is asked to eat the little scroll.  It is sweet in the mouth and bitter in the stomach.  As a general principle God wants us to understand what he is experiencing in his love relationships with mankind, and angels.  Remember they rebelled through free will as well.  God’s creation is sweet to him.  Mankind is the sweetest, because he made us in his image and breathed in us his breath of life.  He takes no joy in the destruction of sinners.  

The scroll itself is probably the document that gave the angel authority to pronounce the seven thunders.  He steps on the land and the sea to indicate that he has been given authority of every realm of creation. The chapter ends on these words, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

The Lord only prophecies to those he wants to repent.  He will call out to all the nations then, he is calling out to all the nations now. 

10,000 Years in the Euphrates

The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. Revelations 9: 12-16

Most of us reflect a very little on the protection of God upon our daily lives or on his protection upon mankind in general.  “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” What an incredible statement.  Jude 1:6 makes reference to bound angels, “ And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” The release of the spirits bound in the Euphrates I believe is distinct from the great Day of Judgment. The context is obviously associated with judgment. 

What grabs my attention in this verse is the limits that God sets on demonic mayhem.   If they had their way they would not have stopped at 1/3 of mankind. 

Peter also talks about Jesus preaching to imprisoned spirits in 1 Peter 3:19-20 ^“After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—  to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.”  Genesis 6:4 is a reference many use in this regard as well.  I am mixed in my interpretation of it.  It says,  ^“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.”  I am more inclined to see demon possessed men involved in eugenics in this case verse angles taking over human bodies.  What is clear is that God binds angels for disobedience, and releases them at his own discretion.

His discretion is at least partially related to the prayers of the saints, verse 12 makes reference to these prayers, “I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.” The golden altar is a place of intercession, truly, the answer to the prayer found in Revelation 6:10 “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

The delay is again related to God’s desire to bring men to repentance.  Verse 17-19 show us some details about the smoke and sulfur and fire poured out by the devils released. Verses 20-21 show us the heart of men. ^“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” 

We can never lose track of the desire of God to draw mankind to him-self.  We see the march of time and then increase of evil in the world and want to set a demand on the Lord and say “how long” but 2 Peter 3:8-19 gives us a context for his patients even in the last days. “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.”