The Church needs the book of Revelation. The Lord told the apostle John that the book of Revelation was for the churches (22:16), and then warned that nothing was to be added or taken away from its contents (22:18-19).
However, it is safe to say that although the Church has multiple copies of the book of Revelation, it has little understanding of its contents. In spite of the warnings of the Lord, commentators have inadvertently but effectively kept most of the contents from the grasp of the saints by either (1) teaching that most of the contents of the book deal with the past experiences of the Church during the time of the Roman Empire, or (2) teaching that most of the contents of the book deal with a time when the Church will not be on the earth. Even in chapters one through three where most commentators have found material relevant to the Church throughout history, the warnings of the Lord have been softened and harmonized with the popular doctrine of the day.
I confess that when I began my investigation of Revelation in 1978, I did so with tainted intentions. I looked into Revelation and the entire subject of prophecy like a gypsy looking into a crystal ball, hoping to have answers about the future. The future was indeed on its pages, but the future was dwarfed and brought into proper focus by something greater than the future. I had approached Revelation as a "crystal ball" and discovered the throne of God. I had come with questions about the end of time and come away with answers about the Alpha and Omega who created time. I discovered that The Revelation of Jesus Christ is indeed the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Revelation, like no other book of the Bible, offers the Church truth about the "throne" (rule) of God at the very time when the throne of man is rising to its greatest height. The word "throne" is used more in its pages than in any other book of the Bible.
But the Church, numbed by extremist cults in the headlines formed around "prophets" who claim special insight into the book, shy away from its pages. This great book, rather than being the blessing it is promised to be (1:3), is avoided as a curse.
It is critically important that the contents of the book of Revelation and collateral prophetic Scriptures be systematically re-examined and made available to the rank and file members in the Church. The questions that have been left unanswered in the present vacuum must be faced head-on. This newsletter is dedicated to accomplishing these goals.
As John described the last great vision of the holy city, he recorded that "...the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of the Lord has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. And the nations shall walk by its light..." (21:23-24). The Lamb is the glory of the Lord and the light of the holy city. The ability of those in the holy city to move around, to relate to each other, to understand what is happening will depend on the light given by the Lamb. The fact that God defeated sin and brought life through the sacrifice of the Son will enable the citizens of His kingdom to function in His kingdom.
The Lamb not only lights God's eternal kingdom, but provides the key to understanding the entire book of Revelation. The term "Lamb" (designating the sacrificed Son) occurs more in the book of Revelation than in any other book in the Bible. The Lamb is in the center of God's throne (5:6, 7:17). It is the Lamb in the center of the throne that takes the scroll and opens it (chapter five), ushering in all that follows. The wrath poured out in response to the suffering and death of the saints (6:9-11) is the Lamb's wrath (6:12-17). "Those who dwell on the earth" (6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8,14; 17:8) who worship the beast (13:8) are those "...whose name has not been written ... in the book of life of the Lamb" (13:8). The rebellion of the beast is against the Lamb (19:19). The marriage of the faithful is to the Lamb (19:7). The final judgment is from the Lamb's book (20:15, cf. 13:8). The throne of all eternity is the throne of the Lamb (22:1). In chapter five when the Lamb takes the scroll, the heavenly host, in ever enlarging circles, breaks into songs of praise to the Lamb. In chapter 14 the redeemed 144,000 are with the Lamb on Mount Zion, follow the Lamb wherever He goes and are specifically firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. Then, in chapter 15, those gathered by the angels "who come off victorious from the beast" sing the "song of the Lamb."
In the book of Revelation we see the light of the Lamb shining as the very heart and triumph of life, instructing us that only the slain shall reign. Those who will live and reign with Him are those who die in following Him (20:4). We are to be made priests who reign in His kingdom (1:6; 5:10; 20:6) just as our great High Priest who gave His blood is the King of Kings.
The Bible teaches that the sin of the Church will have serious consequences. Prophetic passages of Scripture teach us in sobering details that in the last days the Church will fall into apostasy, bringing disastrous results. The apostle Paul taught the Thessalonians that the rise of the world's final ruler, the man of lawlessness, waited only for the apostasy of the Church. John's visions in Revelation concerning the day of the Lord begin with the Lord Jesus warning the apostate churches of severe chastisement that will attend His coming.
The Thessalonian church addressed by the apostle Paul in II Thessalonians did not understand "... the coming of the Lord and [their] ... gathering together to Him" (2:1). They had apparently been "... shaken from their composure ..." and believed "... that the day of the Lord [had] ... come" (2:2)[1].
In order to correct the Thessalonians and keep them from being deceived (2:3), the apostle pointed out that certain events, events that would precede the coming of the Lord, had not been experienced or witnessed yet by the Thessalonians.
The apostle wrote:
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (II Thess. 2:3)
The Thessalonians needed only to understand that the apostasy had not occurred to conclude correctly that the day of the Lord was not upon them.
The apostle offered evidence that was meant to convince the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord had not arrived (2:6-7). He did this by presenting them with the fact that a condition prevailed in the Church which was the opposite of apostasy.
The apostle described this condition with the same word with which he had exhorted them at the close of his previous letter. In that letter he had urged them to "... hold fast (Gk: katecete) to that which is good" (I Thess. 5:21). Here he points out that they are "holding fast" (Gk: katecon). [2] [3]
He writes in II Thessalonians 2:6, "And now you know the holding fast ...."
Unfortunately, the proper translations of verses six and seven are buried in a quagmire of squabbling among translators. Instead of translating "to katecon" (2:6) as "the holding fast" (admittedly awkward in English) it is translated "what restrains." The word "him" is added (not present in the Greek), and "now" is slipped to the end of the phrase so that we read, "And you know what restrains him now ..." instead of "And now you know the holding fast ...." Again in verse seven "ho katecon" is translated "restrains" instead of "holds fast," "genetai" is translated "taken" instead of "is" and the common word for "middle or midst" "mesou" is translated "way" so that we read, "... only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way" instead of "... only he who now holds fast is effective until he is out of the midst."
You may not all become experts in Greek in order to be convinced of what Paul said in these verses, but you can see the logical progression and consistency of his argument. Notice:
Paul begins by saying 'no day of the Lord until the apostasy first, followed by the man of lawlessness' (2:1-5). Next he argues (verse six) that the Thessalonians' holding fast (the opposite of apostasy) meant the man of lawlessness would be revealed at a later time. Then he argues (verse seven) that although lawlessness was at work, their holding fast would be effective until those holding fast were no longer characteristic (in the midst) of the Church -- another way of describing APOSTASY. Then in verse eight he again explains the results of apostasy by writing, "And then that lawless one will be revealed ...."
The apostle wanted the Thessalonians to understand that the faithful conduct of the Church had thus far prevented the day of the Lord. Appropriately he concludes with this encouragement, "So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught ...." (2:15).
We should come away from a study of II Thessalonians 2 sobered by the fact that the faithfulness of the Church prevents the revelation of the man of lawlessness, and conversely, when the Church stops holding fast (apostatizes), the man of lawlessness will immediately fill the vacuum and rise to power.
After the introduction of chapter one where John gives us the general time frame of his visions, "the Lord's day" (1:10, i.e. the day of the Lord), our attention is drawn in chapters two and three to seven churches, where five of them are addressed as sinful and warned to repent. Ephesus is "fallen" (2:5), Pergamum is teaching false doctrine (2:14-15), Thyatira is engaged in immoral conduct (2:20-23), Sardis is "dead" (3:1) and lukewarm Laodicea makes Jesus want to vomit (3:16). Jesus warns them that at his coming He will "remove your lampstand" (2:5 Ephesus), "make war against them with the sword of my mouth" (2:16 Pergamum), "cast them into great tribulation ... kill her children" (2:22-23 Thyatira), "come like a thief ... erase his name from the book of life (implied)" (3:3,5 Sardis) and "reprove and discipline" (3:16, 19 Laodicea).
This passage, while including some wonderful encouragements -- not mentioned above -- to overcoming and faithful saints, says graphically that sin by the Church will bring the disciplining hand of the Lord at his coming.
These churches are presented to us as the churches that will experience the promised coming of the Lord. The ancient churches by the same name are presented as typical of what the churches would look like in the day of the Lord. A world with churches like these will provide the 'right' environment for all that follows in succeeding chapters of the book of Revelation.
Overcoming brings victory; sin brings consequences.
Paul taught the Thessalonians that the apostasy of the Church would be followed by the revelation of the man of lawlessness (II Thess. 2).
The Lord Jesus told five churches that their sin would bring the consequences of severe discipline at His coming (Rev. 2-3).
The Psalmist David said, "For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light we see light" (Psalm 36:9). In the light that God gives, we are able to see and discern truth. Our statements of truth are derived from His statements of truth, His Word. Thus from our studies of His Word we formulate doctrinal statements which we refer to as theology (truth about God), eschatology (truth about future things), etc. These systematic statements of doctrinal truth are meant to be summaries and conclusions from careful study of the Word.
But a dangerous practice has repeatedly taken place in Church history, and is being practiced today. That is the practice of learning the truth statements handed down by men, and then using those truth statements as the light in which we understand God's Word. In effect we reverse David's observation, and say instead, "In our light we see Your light."
Our summary truth statements expressed in systematic theologies, doctrinal statements and historic catechisms are valuable teaching instruments to the point that they express Biblical truth, but are never to replace or sit in judgment of the Word. Where apparent conflict exists between an express statement of the Word and a statement of doctrine, the derived doctrine should always yield to the clear statement of the Word, never the other way around.
When we practice the opposite, using the doctrinal statements as the light for understanding, discounting or ignoring the Word, then our opportunity to learn and be corrected by the Word is over. Each study of the Bible then becomes an exercise in looking for verses that support our conclusions. Catechism, doctrine and theology effectively replace the Bible, sitting in judgment of any and all of its statements. When we discover something apparently new in our study of the Bible, we run to test it in the light of theology, and then discount it when it does not "fit."
This incorrect practice, where the Word is held captive by doctrine, is apparent in the conflict between II Thessalonians chapter two and the narrow definition of the doctrine concerning "the imminent return of Christ."
From a study of the II Thessalonians passage we properly concluded (with the Thessalonians) that we are to see the apostasy of the Church and the revelation of the man of lawlessness before we see the day of the Lord. But narrowly defined Imminent Return does not allow such a conclusion. A great number of Christians today, who subscribe to a narrow definition of Imminent Return, believe that the Lord Jesus can arrive in the sky at any moment, thus ruling out the expectation that "... the apostasy comes first ..." (II Thess. 2:3). The force of the passage, teaching the relationship between Christian conduct, the revelation of the man of lawlessness and the day of the Lord is lost. The value of the apostasy as a definite sign preventing deception regarding the day of the Lord is lost.
This narrowly defined doctrine of Imminence also comes into conflict with Revelation chapters two and three, and ultimately the entire book of Revelation. Imminent Return, insisting that the Lord Jesus will come before any other prophesied event (Jesus "first"), disallows the progression of events as presented in Revelation.
Although Revelation, like II Thessalonians and other Scriptures[4], presents apostasy "first" (chapter 2-3) followed by the man of lawlessness (chapter 6, 11, 13) then the Lord (chapter 19), Imminence (narrowly defined) detaches the condition of the Revelation churches as a prophesied condition related to the day of the Lord. Imminence then ignores the fact that the Lord does not come until after most events portrayed in Revelation are completed (chapter 19). Imminence says, 'the Lord first before any prophesied events,' but the book of Revelation presents many prophesied events before the coming of the Lord. The statements by the Lord to the churches concerning His coming are stripped of their relevance to His visible coming by narrow Imminence. Revelation chapters two and three are lost as a picture of the apostasy. The relationship between warnings to the apostate churches and the following events in the day of the Lord are lost.
Do you recognize the relationship between the rise of the man of lawlessness and your conduct as a Christian?
When you see a clear difference between the Word of God and doctrine, what has ultimate authority in your mind?
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22)
- Steve Amy
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Lamb Light and Lamb Light Short Studies are produced by a team of Christians from the Christ Evangelical Church, Orem, UT. We are accountable for our conduct to the members and leaders of that local church. The Lamb Light team leader is Stephen Amy. The Pastor of the church is Scott McKinney, (801) 225-3038.
The cost of producing Lamb Light and Lamb Light Short Studies is borne by any individuals who specifically contribute designated funds to that ministry through the Christ Evangelical Church, Orem, UT. It is not a function of the general budget of the Christ Evangelical Church.
The opinions expressed on these pages do not necessarily reflect a consensus of the members of the Christ Evangelical Church, Orem, UT. But we, as members, affirm together that we look "for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus."
Letters should be mailed to: Editor, Lamb Light Ministry, c/o Christ Evangelical Church, 280 S. 400 E. Orem, UT 84058. Messages may be sent through Internet to NOSPAMlamb@rdo.com.
Lamb Light Ministries
c/o Christ Evangelical Church
280 S. 400 E.
Orem, UT 84058
Phone: 801 225-3038