Contributed the following article to the Nov '18 issue of VANAMUTHAM,
that attempts to connect the world (with its events and practical issues) to God's word.
One: What
was given by God to Jesus Christ, who in turn revealed it to his servant John
through an angel, about what must soon take place.
Two: What
John saw and testified regarding the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus
Christ.
John wrote
it down so that the one who reads it aloud and those who hear it, will obey God
and keep what is written, taking to heart all that must soon take place, namely
His Coming, Final Judgment and Rewards for our actions.
The purpose
of having revealed what must soon take place is not that we may speculate what
will now happen and predict what will happen next.
Moreover,
the book of Revelation has been written in symbolic or apocalyptic language.
Therefore, this book is full of strange symbols such as White, Red, Black and
Pale horses, a beast with crowns on its 10 horns that emerges from the sea,
another beast with 2 horns like that of a sheep speaking with the voice of the
serpent, and many more. For some reason,
those who consider all the above to be symbols, interpret certain other things
such as the Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18), waters of Euphrates drying to
pave way for Kings from the East (16:12), Kings being gathered at Armageddon
(16:16), Satan being bound and those beheaded ruling with Christ for Thousand
Years (20:2-6) literally.
While John
has written this with a specific purpose, how fair is it to interpret some of
it in one way, and understand the rest of it in quite another way, without any regard
for its intended purpose? Now, let us
again return to the Purpose. What need did John have to make his readers obey
God and to instruct them to announce Christ as a witness through their lives?
While thousands all through the Roman Empire were undergoing persecution for
Christ’s Name, John himself had been deported to Patmos, and logical questions
like “What good is it to obey God’s Word? Is not persecution all that comes our
way? Is not the Roman Emperor appearing to be all-powerful? Where is our Lord
Jesus? How long will we have to suffer?” were weighing down the hearts of the
believers, it was to encourage them that the Lord gave this special Revelation
through apostle John.
It is in
this context that he reminds them, that they are not only companions in
suffering but also in Christ’s Kingdom and hence called to endure with patience
(1:9). “Christ rules. The dominion of all other powers has been permitted for a
season under God’s sovereignty. But end is certain. Those who trust Satan’s deception
and spend their present time in pleasure, will take part in Satan’s final
destruction too. On the other hand, those who faithfully serve Christ amidst
persecution, will enter glory and receive their reward.” This is the sum and
substance of the lesson that Revelation teaches. Trying to interpret each symbol individually
while ignoring the purpose this book was written for, will make us lose sight
of the prime lesson that this book is intended to teach.
If we read
this book, keeping in mind the central purpose of this book, we will be able to
identify in its pages two sets of people - those who keep God’s word faithfully
and those on the other side who deny God and live only to gain this world, having
been deceived by the devil’s schemes. When we recognize this, a question that
naturally arises in our mind would be if we are faithfully following the Lord
or if we have been deceived by the devil. Even in the seven churches in Asia
Minor (Rev 2,3) that the Lord used to symbolize world-wide Church across the
ages, we can find both these set of people.
GROUP FAITHFULLY SERVING THE LORD
They have the seal of the Living God on their foreheads, so that they
are protected amidst tribulation (Rev 7:1-4). They are the great multitude from
every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and giving
the glory of salvation to God (7:9,10). They are the ones who have come out of
the great tribulation, having washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb
(7:14). They have the Father’s Name written on their foreheads (14:1). These
are the men and women who have not defiled themselves. They follow the Lamb
wherever He goes. No lie is found in their mouth. They are blameless (14:4-5).
They keep God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus, with patient
endurance. They take their deeds with them to eternity (14:12-13).
They are
victorious over the beast and its image and the number of its name (15:2). They
stay away from the sinful ways of the world, pictured as the Great Babylon and
as the adulteress riding the beast, ensnaring people with her immorality, riches,
power and spiritual/ religious deception (18:4). They have prepared themselves
as the universal Church, the bride of Christ. They have received their righteousness
to be worn as fine linen, bright and clean. They are invited to the wedding
supper of the Lamb (19:7-9). They are the armies of heaven following Christ,
dressed in fine linen, white and clean, and riding on white horses (19:14).
They had offered
themselves to be beheaded for the testimony or Jesus and for the Word of God.
They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on
their foreheads or on their hand. They will come to life and reign with Christ
(20:4). They will serve God in eternity, see Him face to face, have His Name on
their foreheads, and reign for ever and ever (22:3-5). They are those who continue
doing right, continue being holy, and about to receive the reward according to what
they have done (22:11,12). They wash their robes so that they have the right to
go through the gates into the Holy and Eternal city (22:14). They will partake
in the eternal inheritance from God.
GROUP FELLED BY THE DEVIL'S DECEPTION
They do not have the seal of the Living God on their foreheads. Hence, they
are not protected from the plagues, that the Lord permits (Rev 9:1-4). When they
happen to escape death by the plagues, they do not repent of their murders, their
magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. They exalt what are not
Gods to be equal to or higher than God, trusting and worshipping them (9:20-21).
They are tormented by God’s words spoken through God’s ministers, and they
gloat and celebrate when the ministers die (11:10).
They worship the
Anti-Christ and the devil who gave authority to him (13:4). Their names are not
written in the Book of Life, of the Lamb slain from the creation of the world
(13:8). They had received the mark of the Beast on their right hands or
foreheads, so that they survive, do business and enjoy the world (13:16,17).
They await torment by drinking the wine of God’s fury, and by burning by sulfur
in the presence of the holy Angels and of the lamb (14:10-11). When God sends
great plagues to convict these who have the mark of the beast and worship its
image, they refuse to repent of what they have done and instead curse God (16:2,9,21).
They have
grown rich from the excessive luxuries offered by the spirit of the world that
is called as the Great Babylon and as the Adulteress as it lures them with its
intoxicating mix of immorality, materialism, power and spiritual/religious
deceptions (18:2). They will throw dust on their heads and weep and cry that
they have been brought to ruin (18:14-19), when the Lord suddenly puts an end
to the world’s power/ economic/ religious system that they so greatly trusted
for their wealth and enjoyment (18:8,9). They are going to be thrown into the
lake of fire, as their names are not found in the Book of Life (20:15). They await
being consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur as they are the cowardly,
the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who
practice magic arts, the idolaters and liars (21:8). They will be kept out of
the eternal holy city, having sought eternal destruction for themselves
(22:15).
Where do
you belong? The
question that we need to ask when studying the book of Revelation is, “which
group do I belong to?” Do I belong to the first group that contains the blessed
ones? Or do I belong to the second group that appears wise at the present but is
truly awaiting disaster? If we are convicted that we indeed belong to the
second group today, it should push us to gain entry into the first group. The
Lord has given us this book for this very purpose.
On the
contrary, we get stuck in unnecessary controversies whenever we see new systems
and technological advancements being introduced into the world. The devil is
diverting us with questions like, Can I receive the ‘PAN’ card? Can I apply for
the ‘Smart Card’? Is it ok to register for ‘Aadhaar’?, Is it right to accept ‘Digital
tattoo’, and so on. People who are constantly matching each symbol in the book
of Revelation with current developments, can be blinded to their own “sorry” spiritual
state by the devil’s deception.
The Lord
is coming. Here are
what the Lord has clearly stated about His Coming. “Look, He is coming with the
clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples
on earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be, Amen!” are His first words
in this book concerning His Coming. And in the final chapter, this warning
appears thrice. “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words
of the prophecy written in this scroll” (22:7).
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each
person according to what he has done” (22:12). He who testifies to these things
says, “Yes, I am coming soon” (22:20).
If you have
closely followed, it is Repentance, Works emanating from a repentant heart, and
our eternal Rewards that are going to accompany the Lord when He comes, that
are being emphasized again and again in this book. Those who faithfully follow
him are sure to suffer. But it is going to be only for a season. Gracefully, he
also warns (through plagues) those who have compromised with the world. Eternal
destruction awaits the unrepentant. But eternal joy awaits those who have put
their trust in Him. They are going to rule forever.
Trying to
individually interpret the symbols, on the other hand, will be a futile and
diversionary exercise. It will be missing the Forest for the Trees. Therefore,
let us avoid all speculation about His Coming, and get ready to meet Him. Let
us announce the Salvation He offers as Good News. Hallelujah!
(RELATED POST . . . WHAT DOES BIBLE SAY ABOUT END TIMES )
