REVELATION: A New City

And now Revelation begins to wind to a close as we see heaven and earth returning to God’s original intent. Indeed, John’s message of encouragement is finding its ultimate fulfillment in the affirming close of John’s vision. John speaks in Revelation 21 of a moving reunion of heaven and earth, a reunion the whole earth has been waiting for (see Romans 8) since soil and spirit had been ripped apart near the beginning of the narrative.

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

One cannot read this climactic resolution to John’s visions and not think of the last half of Isaiah 65. But in this, we also see John bringing together all sorts of other mini-narratives, not the least of these being the marital imagery we spoke of all the way back in the Exodus. The vision speaks of God wiping away tears, something that was yearned for by Jeremiah (see chapters 25 and 35). Everything the prophets spoke of and yearned for is finally experienced here. It’s a tragedy that we focus on and argue about so many of the apocalyptic details that we miss the driving image of worship and hope that lies at the end of John’s vision.

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Still more prophets find their fulfillment in this vision of John. Ezekiel’s vision of the new temple (an apocalyptic vision), as well as many statements made by Zechariah, drive the images John describes here. One couldn’t think of drinking freely of the water of life without remembering Isaiah’s words in chapter 55. And as far as God dealing with the immoral, it is more than a simple pronouncement of judgment on unbelievers. The preceding statement is a reference to 2 Samuel 7, but not just any reference: God was speaking to David about building His temple, something John is discussing in this very passage.

The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

Following in the custom of the apocalyptic prophets who had gone before him, John has the Temple measured. But this time, John doesn’t miss the opportunity to make a major statement about this new Kingdom as seen in Jesus. This time, the Temple and the city is even bigger than it was in Ezekiel. There is enough of everything to go around for everybody who needs to be there. The numbers chosen scream out “one united people of God!” 12,000 stadia square this city is. Not only is this length an obvious multiple of 12 (the number for God’s people, as in the twelve tribes), but it’s just under 1400 miles long. John’s point is that Ezekiel didn’t think big enough. God’s new city is going to cover the entire civilized world as they knew it. The walls are over 200 feet thick, but again, what’s striking is that John uses multiples of 12 to get his message across. This is about people. There is enough heaven to go around for everyone!

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Yes, everything is as it ought to be. John finishes with references to the closings of other apocalyptic visions. Images of nations streaming to the city of God and the gates never being shut bring us back to the prophecies of Zechariah and Isaiah.

John’s message continues to be one of hope. God will get the last word. Things will end up as they’ve been spoken of before. To those original readers who are scared for their lives, even dying by Domitian’s sword, John is reminding them of what the ancients said long before. John is calling them to keep running the race and not give up on the glorious plan of God’s redemption of all creation.

And with that, we move on to the final chapter of our Scriptures.

REVELATION: A Slain Lamb

The pictures and images that drive the fifth chapter of Revelation follow in step with the parousia we described in the fourth chapter. We’ll continue to see a parallel in cultural context, as well as references to the Hebrew Scriptures in a way that preaches a sermon within the letter.

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Many of the pronouncements we’ve referenced in Roman settings (and will continue to reference) were made from scrolls. History would indicate that these scrolls were often made quite large to impact the listener visually; the scroll often contained the greatness and achievements of the Emperor. Some have suggested a tongue-in-cheek reference to “a scroll with writing on both sides” — meaning that the greatness of this King is so great, you couldn’t fit it all on one side.

However, one of the things we can make a direct tie to in the culture is the reference about worthiness. You might remember our discussion about the synagogue in Sardis; one of the finds in the ruins there was a plaque that sat over the Moses Seat: “Only he who is worthy. Take. Open. Read.” The audience of Revelation seems to be familiar with the idea that the scrolls of God should only be read by the person who walks in faithful righteousness. So who would be worthy to open this scroll?

At the synagogue in Sardis; Moses seat on the left, Torah closet on the right.

It should be noted that the references to things like “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” or “the Root of David” are more than just passing references to Jesus. They are intentional quotations of the Hebrew Scriptures that are intended to speak to the readers about the current situation. But this discussion will already be long enough without covering that here. Continuing in Revelation 5:

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 

John references this ruler who is worthy to open the scroll, but the reference is a deliberate play on the Exodus — fitting for a group of people crying out for deliverance from Roman persecution. This ruler looks like a slain lamb. For the Jewish people, the slain lamb had become the symbol of revolution, calling them back to the great story of God’s deliverance. Add to this John’s reference to the elders, the very people Exodus describes as needing to examine and identify the Pesach lamb in Exodus 12.

And the references don’t stop here — “… which are the prayers of God’s people” appear to be drawn from Psalm 141:2 and Psalm 16:3. The context of those Psalms would also speak to the audience, crying out to God for refuge and deliverance. Back to Revelation 5:

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

One of the songs that will continue to make an appearance in the Revelation of John, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly, is the song of Moses. When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they found themselves rescued on the other side, dancing along to the song of Moses. While the closing of that song (Exodus 15) seems to have a loose connection here, the possibility is bolstered by John’s Passover/Exodus references throughout the chapter.

One final idea that has always jumped out to me is the commissioning of Isaiah in Isaiah 6. Not only is the song from Isaiah mentioned just prior in Revelation 4, but the entirety of Revelation 5 is about worthiness, draped in a context of flying figures with many wings encircling the throne. This reaches back into our previous discussion, but the image clearly carries itself through chapter 5, as well.

REVELATION: The Throne Room

We will continue to use the same hermeneutic of culture and Text as we study Revelation. Before we read Revelation 4, it would be helpful to note the context surrounding the Roman priests who worked for/with the emperor.

Rome had twenty-four legal and official religions. Each of these religions had a head priest who served as their imperial representative — like an ambassador — for Caesar. These priests served in a very public and political office, often making their appearances at public proclamations, coronations, parousias, olympic games, and other imperial events. As history describes them, they were always seen wearing white robes and golden crowns. At times, they are described as having golden sashes around their waist or chest, and they would often lead the people in great song.

I’ve mentioned before my belief that Revelation was written during (or at least in reference to) the reign of Domitian. You may also recall the discussion about the largest gymnasium in the world under construction in Ephesus. If you go to those ruins today, you will find dominant images around the structure (as well as other cities in biblical Asia). Just outside the gymnasium sits a gate with ornate decorations of an ox head every ten feet or so. Each emperor had a different animal they chose to represent themselves, whether it was the strength of an ox or the veracity of a lion. Common images for Domitian were the ox and the lion. He also erected numerous images of himself, as well as the great Roman symbol of the eagle.

A statue (located at Pergamum) of a Roman emperor; note the images of
animals around the bottom of the torso (eagles, lions, rams, etc.)

There is record of the rise of Domitian as emperor, and his selection of Ephesus as his neochorus. He planned his great arrival in Ephesus to coincide with the grand opening of his newly constructed gymnasium. It would have been a much anticipated arrival, and the energy in Ephesus at the time would have been electric. Many historians have painted pictures of what the scene could have looked like.

One could imagine the boats arriving in the harbor and the soldiers disembarking, dressed in their shining armor with brand new medallions that read, “Emperor Domitian Flavius, Lord and God.” They may have even brought off the ships brand new statues and other decorative emblems to install all over Ephesus. Eventually, the high priests would assemble, a courier might read the pronouncement and introduction of Emperor Domitian, and then the twenty-four priests of the twenty-four legal Roman religions would begin to lead the people in song. Dressed in white robes and wearing golden crowns, one of the most common songs of the Emperor (think of “Hail to the Chief”) was one that sounded like it came straight out of Isaiah (which raises all kinds of other questions, but some other time).

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty! Who was, and who is, and who is to come!”

We’ve found that record in a couple different places referencing the songs of the olympic games and the arrival of the Roman emperor. But alas, we should read Revelation 4:

After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.  

From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come!”

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they existed and were created.”

In view of the cultural context, this entire fourth chapter is a brilliant subversion of the arrival of Caesar. There are twenty-four priests and pronouncements of glory, incredible songs, and worship of a king. In the words of my good friend Aaron Couch, it’s as if John is writing this letter of apocalyptic encouragement and saying, “I’ve been to the throne room of God — and Domitian isn’t on it.”

In a world that was overrun with the pronouncement and pomp of a powerful ruler, John reminds his readers who the real king is. There is a more true king than the one who claims to wield the throne with power and fear. May this same reminder remain true to us in a world that claims so many things to have power and sway over our present and our future. While it's tempting to wrap up with eloquent resolutions to our conversations, this is actually what the book of Revelation is about. And so we move on into the next chapter, having just been witnesses to the great heavenly pronouncement of who is truly in charge.

REVELATION: Philadelphia and Her New Name

Now that we’ve been exposed to this hermeneutic in Revelation, we should be able to cover ground a little more quickly. We’ll take a look at the context of Philadelphia, we’ll let it shape the way we read the letter, and then we’ll ask where John is drawing his material from in the Old Testament.

Philadelphia is another city that was plagued in the first century by earthquakes. (You might remember the conversation in 1 Thessalonians about parousia and the second coming of a Roman emperor.) In AD 17 there was a major earthquake that destroyed Philadelphia; the rebuilt city was given a new name to honor the Caesar who helped them rebuild: “NeoCaesarea.”

In AD 60, another major earthquake hit and the city was rebuilt again by the Flavian dynasty. They sought to rename the city “Flavia,” but the name was rejected because of how the residents of the city despised the Flavian dynasty. (While the city’s name was changed formally, it appears nobody recognized the new name and it reverted to Philadelphia.)

Among the many things that plagued the early Roman empire, the lack of grain production crippled the Roman economy (think of our dependance on oil and we start to understand the problem). Rome was doing everything they could think of to produce more grain. In fact, one of the references in the book of Revelation (found in 6:6) matches exactly what we’ve found in Roman records; the price mentioned is 500 times the average price prior to the grain shortage.

One of the major exports of Philadelphia was its incredible wine; they loved their wine and were known throughout the land as having wonderful grapes. The Flavian dynasty, in an effort to curb the grain shortage, ordered more than 75% of the grapevines of Philadelphia uprooted. They were replaced with grain fields that never produced healthy grain (and they were certainly warned by experts that the grain wouldn’t grow). In light of this, you can understand the anger of the residents.

Philadelphia was also known as “The Door” to Asia Minor. It was the border between the two regions on the main highway. Once you passed through Philadelphia on your way west, you had entered into the province of Asia.

Now, let’s read the letter to Philadelphia and listen for context:

“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. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. 

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

“What he opens no one can shut … See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” We have a fitting reference to the city known as a doorway into the kingdom of Asia.

“… synagogue of Satan …” Most scholars have based the reference in our discussion about Smyrna on scholarship surrounding this reference in the letter to Philadelphia. It appears to be a similar situation where the Jewish assembly in Philadelphia is denying the acceptance of the Gentiles.

“I am coming soon.” This deliberate reference to a parousia speaks to a city that has experienced at least two of them.

“I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, … I will also write on them my new name.” Three different references to a new name in this letter? That’s more than mere coincidence; this is most certainly a play on the cultural backdrop of a city that’s had its name changed frequently.

But then we need to ask about John’s source material. Consider the following from Isaiah 45:

“This is what the LORD says to his anointed,    to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold ofto subdue nations before him    and to strip kings of their armor,to open doors before him    so that gates will not be shut:I will go before you    and will level the mountains;I will break down gates of bronze    and cut through bars of iron.I will give you hidden treasures,    riches stored in secret places,so that you may know that I am the LORD,    the God of Israel, who summons you by name.For the sake of Jacob my servant,    of Israel my chosen,I summon you by name    and bestow on you a title of honor,    though you do not acknowledge me.”

Here we see a reference to God opening doors that cannot be shut; Isaiah also spends an unusual amount of time talking about summoning Cyrus by name. Not only this, but the whole passage is about God using a Gentile to save and redeem His own people — a reference directed to the “Synagogue of Satan”?

Now consider Isaiah 62:

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,    for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,till her vindication shines out like the dawn,    her salvation like a blazing torch.The nations will see your vindication,    and all kings your glory;you will be called by a new name    that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand,    a royal diadem in the hand of your God.No longer will they call you Deserted,    or name your land Desolate.But you will be called Hephzibah,    and your land Beulah;for the LORD will take delight in you,    and your land will be married.As a young man marries a young woman,    so will your Builder marry you;as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,    so will your God rejoice over you.

It’s another incredibly fitting source from which to grab material for the letter to Philadelphia. John made mention of nobody taking their crown, a reference to a passage that is also filled with references to a new name?

But there’s also one more in 2 Chronicles 3:

For the front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits long, each with a capital five cubits high. He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains. He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz.

John said they would be pillars in the temple of my God. Such a reference would take any Jew’s mind back to the temple of Solomon, because when we were told of Solomon’s project, one of the notable things he did was to set up two pillars. However, as you can see above, he doesn’t just set up two pillars; he does something peculiar —

He gives them names.

And again, I’m forced to recognize the literary genius that is the book of Revelation. We could write much more just on the different “hidden sermons” that are being preached through John referencing these passages (known as remez). May we continue to push in and learn more about the book that has perplexed so many for so long, but may we remember that if we’re going to study the last book of the New Testament, one of the most critical things we better bring with us is the Old Testament.

1 THESSALONIANS: Parousia

Paul also pens two letters to the church in Thessalonica. There are plenty of commentaries that deal with the context of Thessalonica and, to be honest, I haven’t had the opportunity to study the context of Thessalonica as much as I would like. While I have heard different explanations for it, it would seem that the people of Thessalonica had a clear misunderstanding of the proper response to the “return” of Christ.

One thing that becomes abundantly clear (again, addressed in NT Wright’s work Surprised by Hope) is that the early believers had a definite understanding of Christ’s very close return. This may not be as far-fetched as it sounds to us from where we sit, but I’ll deal with that theology at some other point. At any rate, it is safe to say that early Christians in the Roman Empire believed they might see Christ’s return in their lifetime, or the lifetime of their children.

Apparently this had impacted the Thessalonian community in such a way that it led to their disengagement. If Christ was about to return and make the whole world right, why should we spend all of our time working? Paul addresses some of these misunderstandings by talking about the need for the believers in Thessalonica to work, for “the man who does not work, does not eat.” It is also to this world that Paul speaks of parousia.

Parousia is the Greek word we often translate as “second coming.” While this is actually a very accurate translation, the term is loaded with historical context we usually miss. These details can be found by studying NT Wright, Ethelbert Stauffer, the early church commentaries by Roland Worth, and others.

Parousia referred to the second coming of an emperor. In a Roman world that had experienced the havoc of multiple earthquakes (as we mentioned before), the emperor would make a visit to the city (you could think of how a modern-day leader might visit a disaster zone). After surveying the extent of the damage, the emperor would leave behind a large sum of money that the people of the city were to use to rebuild. Everyone knew the emperor would return one day and you would have to give an account for what you did with his deposit.

This return was called a parousia, and we know Thessalonica experienced at least two of them in the first century. According to historical record, there appear to be common themes experienced in any given Roman parousia.

The emperor would arrive to the sound of a loud trumpet. As soon as the lookout saw the emperor’s entourage (more like a small army) arriving in the distance, the call would go out. The city would not want to be caught with Caesar banging on their front door.

When the emperor arrived at the city, he would pay the obligatory respects to the dead. In the ruins of ancient Greco-Roman cities, I have always seen the graveyard just outside the main entrance to the city. It was their way of honoring the dead and those who had gone before them.

After the emperor had paid his respects, the people of the city would go out to meet him. This meeting was referred to in the Greek as eis apantesien. The goal is to go out from the city, meet the emperor with joy, and take him by the hand to show him the city and the great work that had been done — in his honor, of course.

Consider the context of the church in Thessalonica and the following words from 1 Thessalonians 4:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Paul describes the second coming of Jesus like the parousia of the emperor. To a church that is having a hard time understanding the need to engage in the work of the Kingdom (or physical labor, for that matter), Paul describes the second coming as aparousia, communicating to the people of Thessalonica that they have work to do, because God left them with a deposit and expected them to use it to restore and reconcile, heal and rebuild. In Paul’s picture, there is a trumpet sound, the dead in Christ rise first, and we are caught up to “eis apantesis” Jesus in the air.

The irony runs thick here, for the theology that loves to quote this verse as backing for the idea of the “rapture” is the same theology that commits the sin of the Thessalonians. Far too much Christian theology espouses an idea that we are all going to leave this place someday. If this is true, then our goal is to have as many people “on our team” as possible before “some glad morning, when this life is over…”

But this is the exact idea Paul is teaching against. Paul is not arguing for a disengaged theology; he is arguing for a theology of complete and urgent engagement. Jesus is going to come back. He left us with the deposit of the Holy Spirit, and we’re going to have to show him what we did with the place.

You see, we are caught up to meet Jesus in the air as he is “coming down from heaven” for his parousia.

To quote one of my favorite teachers, “I get worried that too many Christians are going to be on their way up and out of here as Jesus is coming down, and they’re going to pass in the air!”

This is not a theology of disembodied evacuation; it’s a theology of physical participation. 

May God remind us that we have work to do here — today. May He remind us that Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” May we look forward to the day when the trumpet might sound and we might go out (or up) to meet Jesus on his way down, in order to joyfully take him by the hand and show him around at the things we were able to accomplish with His help.

And when He shows up, I pray we might have something to show Him.