Trumpets

Chapter 1

John identifies himself as the author. The purpose of Revelation is stated as that which is revealed to Christians in the express purpose of showing "what must soon take place". This stresses the urgent nature of Revelation. We are told to take to heart what is written. This is important, and we are to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit for the full revelation, understanding and conviction of this important book. If we are not open to the Spirit's promptings, then we will fall into the trap of legalism and scholastic tendencies, resulting in us interpreting Revelation around edifices and dogma which we set up in pride. Too often we hold on to certain issues not because of the Spirit's conviction but rather because it is our "pet thesis" or "personal great work", and we place our faith in this carnal interpretation rather than in God's rhema, thereby hardening our hearts and closing it to the Holy Spirit. The verse of relevance here is Isa 6:9 "Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing but never perceiving." Rev 1:3 says that the one who reads and understands and takes to heart what is written is blessed.

The letter is addressed to the seven churches, following which John gives greetings and doxology and the reassurance of salvation, justification and sanctification through the work of Jesus Christ, and the reminder to praise Him for it.

v.7 gives a declaration and a depiction of the Second coming. Jesus will be coming back with the clouds as stated in Acts 1:11 "This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back ' in the same way you have seen him go into heaven". As Jesus was taken up and hidden by a cloud, so shall he return with the clouds. The next line is more important, for it says "every eye will see him". This means everyone alive at the Second Coming will see him, whether they be Christians, Jews, or the unrepentant. This verse effectively cancels out the theory that the Christians will be secretly raptured without the world knowing. Because every eye will see Him, there is no way for a secret rapture. The Second Coming and the rapture, though two events, are intimately connected together. In Matt 24:30-31 Jesus says that He will come in the clouds of the sky, and then gather his elect from the four winds. Therefore, we see that the rapture cannot happen before Christ's Second Coming, and vice versa, the Second Coming results in the rapture. The two events are intimately connected and we should not separate them as two different occasions independent of each another.

The next line says "even those who pierce him". This refers to the Jews. We refer to Zech 12:10-13:1 for a fuller understanding of this. In those verses, the phrase "on that day" is mentioned. What is this day? It is the Day of the Lord, which is the day God pours his wrath on the unrepentant world (Amos 5:18), which is also the day of the Second Coming. On that day, God will lift the veil from the eyes of the Jews (Rom 11:815; 25-29), and pour out a spirit of grace and supplication on them. The Jews will look upon Jesus, whom they pierced, and mourn for him (see the connection with Rev 1:7?). The Jews will mourn in repentance and finally accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Then their sins will be cleansed (Zech 13:1), and the Church of God will be completed. There are those that say that the Jews must be "converted" before the Second Coming, otherwise they will not be saved. It is true that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ, and I an not disputing that fact. However, as mentioned earlier, the Jews will come to the knowledge of salvation in Jesus Christ through the events of Zech 12:10-13:1. Even in this case, it is not a matter of receiving salvation because they are Jews, as some think, but that of repentance at the spiritual and physical revelation of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Scripture is not violated, because the Jews will come into salvation through Jesus Christ and not some other way. Paul devotes three chapters in Romans to explain this fact and in Rom 11:25, he tells us (the Gentiles) not to be ignorant of it. God has sovereignty hardened Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. This means that only after the last of the Gentiles whom God had elected has received salvation will Israel be saved. When will the last of the Gentiles come in? I believe it will be just before the Second Coming because the Church will be evangelizing all the way until Christ returns (more about this later). Now, why is Israel so favoured? Because it is God's sovereign choice, and this should be sufficient reason for us. Paul reinforces it in Rom 11:28-29, saying that God's gifts and call are irrevocable. We must note at this juncture the nature of covenants and appropriation of promises. God always keeps his promises and thus, because He has called Israel, He will fulfil it.

Now there is some issue here in that some say national Israel is no longer in God's plan, and that the Church is now the Israel of God (the so-called "Replacement Theology") . This view shows a lack of understanding covenants and promises (Read "The Covenants" by Kevin Conner for a fuller discussion). Certain promises are made to national Israel, and the Church has no right to appropriate it. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the Old Testament with regard to Israel were literal, therefore we should expect that the prophecies yet to be fulfilled which have bearing on Israel to be literal. To say that they are now not to be interpreted literally with regard to Israel but symbolically with regard to the Christian church is to do violence to the clear statements in the Word of God. Indeed, if we can do this to promises made to national Israel, then the apparent promises made to the Church in the New Testament would likewise be capable of reinterpretation, and of re-application to some new people (For example, the Muslims, who claim to have replaced the Church). The Israel of God consists of two parts, the physical Israel (the Jews who will be saved as in Zech 12:10-13:1), and the spiritual Israel (the Church)(Israel is sometimes called "the church in the wilderness"). The two parts are required for God's end-time plans. That is why Satan tried to eliminate the Jews in World War Two, because without the Jews, one half of the whole would be missing. But thank God for his grace and mercy that not only was enough Jews spared, the nation of Israel was also born (Isa 49:8-12, 22-23; 11:12-13). God is in control of end-time events, and though the nations conspire and the people plot in vain (Psa 2), God will ensure that His will is done. I am not saying that the entire present nation of Israel will be saved, but only those who truly long for God, who are faithful to Him. It is obvious that in any society there will be some who are unrepentant, even if Christ were to stand in front of them, such being their rebellion against God. As it is, the present state of Israel has its fair share of secular Jews. Only the Jews who repent when Christ is revealed will be saved. God has the last word on this matter. In Rom 11:27, Paul writes: "And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sin". It is God's covenant with the Jews. Paul certainly is not talking about the Gentile Church in Rom chs.9-11. Let us not be "ignorant of this mystery" which has caused so much dissension and issues (Rom 11:25)(For a fuller treatment, read "The Significance of Israel" by Lance Lambert and "The Last Word on the Middle East" by Derek Prince, as I do not have the time or space to deal with all the issues. Besides, it would be a duplication of effort).

At this point, it is worthwhile to consider what we mean by God's end-time purposes. What is God's overall purpose for mankind? Is it purposed only in Israel, and the Gentiles are brought in as a "by-the-way" event, or is it first in Israel, then replaced by the Church today, or is the Church going to be incorporated into the Jews, or into Israel? or is Israel going to be incorporated into the Church? Is it going to be a Jewish Millennium, or a Christian Millennium? We must know that the Church was in the eternal purpose of God in Christ before Israel ever existed as a chosen nation under the Old Testament. It was not a parenthetical invention (1 Pet 1:20; Eph 1:4). By the term "Church" 1 do not mean the physical Church which we see today, but the Church of God, also referred to as the Israel of God. Israel in the desert was a type of the Church which was to come, and has sometimes been referred to as "the Church in the wilderness". Central to God's purposes is the work of Christ. Everything in the Old Testament looks forward to that, and everything in the New Testament looks back to that. Thus, putting Christ as the pivotal point around which everything revolves, we see that there is no such thing as "replacement" or "superseding" or whatever. The Church of God has been there since Genesis, and will continue to be there in Revelation. The mistake most people make is that they separate Israel from the Church. They say, Old Testament - Israel; New Testament Church; implying that the Church is some incidental creation, some kind of parenthesis, created for the express purpose of the New Testament. It is akin to saying that God had "traded-in" his old worn-out car for a new model, with the old going to the junkyard. The fact is, God has been using the same car since day one, and will continue to use it until the end of the age. That car is the Church/Israel of God in Christ, purposed before the beginning of the world. And, this car comprises both the national and spiritual Israel. Drawing an analogy from Rom 11:17-24, national Israel is the chassis, spiritual Israel (the present day Church) is the body of the car, and Christ is the motor. Just as the chassis is useless without the body, so is the body useless without the chassis, and both are useless without the motor. So, the Church, in God's purposes, comprises both the national and spiritual Israel, i.e.

Redeemed Israel + Gentile Church = Church/Israel of God

But some may say, national Israel today is so secular, how can they be in God's Church? They don't believe in Christ,' do they? Yes, while it is true that not every Israelite has been, is, or will be saved. the same can be said of the Church, which has its fair share of apostates even to this day, and this is going to increase in the last days (1 Tim 1:3-7; 1 Jn 2:18-19). How many of the "professing" Christians these days actually have a salvation experience of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ? Matt 7:21-23 describes this situation vividly. So, in the Millennium (more about this later), it will not be a "Jewish" Millennium, but will be a true Christian Millennium in which the completed Church/Israel of God. comprising both the redeemed Jews and the Gentile believers of Jesus Christ. will reign with Him. Therefore. brethren, know that God still has His purposes in national Israel today, even as He is working out His end-time purposes. The land of Israel (Canaan) is still God's own land. It is interesting to note that though the whole earth is His, Canaan (or Eretz Israel) is the only land which God cares for and claims for His own (Lev 25:23; Deut 11:12; Isa 14:2). It is also the scene of the First Coming and will be the scene of the Second Coming (Zech 14:4). The Jews, too, have been irrevocably called (Rom ch. 9-11). So, if you want to know what is happening or going to happen in the end-times, watch Israel.

"All the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him". This is because Christ has come to pass judgement upon the world and to execute God's wrath. "So shall it be! Amen!" is a double affirmation that it is certainly going to come to past. The Lord Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. That is to say, He is the beginning of all things, having created the universe (Jn 1:3) and set us apart even before we were born for His great purpose of fulfilling His commission (Psa 139:16; Matt 28:18-20); and the completer of all things, drawing the events of this age to a close by His Second Coming (Rev 19:11-16), and will complete our faith in Him (Heb 12:2). Therefore, saints, know that He is on the throne, and we should keep this in perspective in the midst of all trials and tribulations, because He is in control, not the world, or Satan, or anyone else (Rom 8:37-39).