ArmchairAdventists

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Hail and Fire Revelation 8:6–7 “Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.” With the first trumpet, we see hail and fire mixed with blood. Hail and fire are also seen in Exodus , when Pharaoh refused to let Israel go: Exodus 9:22–26 “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.’ Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Fire Revelation 8:5 “Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” The fire that is thrown onto the earth is clearly connected to the prayers of the saints. This act of casting fire is again an image of judgment: Ezekiel 10:1–2 “Then I looked, and behold, on the expanse that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire, in appearance like a throne. And he said to the man clothed in linen, ‘Go in among the whirling wheels underneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.’ And he went in before my eyes.” Here, the city of Jerusalem is judged after the sealing has taken place. The trumpet judgments will follow this example until we ultimately reach the Second Coming — the final judgment. Again...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Incense Here we find our protection, our forgiveness, our assurance in the face of judgment, and God's response to avenge our enemies — leading to our deliverance and to His glory and honor. It says: Revelation 8:3–4 (ESV-paraphrased): “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” Again, we are directed to the Old Testament tabernacle. As mentioned before, this tabernacle is a shadow or example of what happens in heaven. In Revelation, the incense is portrayed as the prayers of the saints. At one point it is equated with the prayers, but here it says that the incense rises with the prayers. So, incense is added to the prayers, making them — in a manner of speaking — pleasing to God. The psalm...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith One-Third Throughout the seven trumpets, we repeatedly see judgment falling upon one-third of various things. Firstly, this shows us that these judgments are partial. But this number is also used frequently in Ezekiel and Zechariah in a very specific way. It appears that the focus is not on the precise numerical value, but rather on the symbolic meaning of this fraction in connection with the Old Testament. Ezekiel 5:1–4 (ESV-paraphrased) “And you, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber's razor and pass it over your head and beard. Then take scales and divide the hair. One-third you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city when the days of the siege are completed. One-third you shall strike with the sword all around it. And one-third you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. Take a small number and bind them in the hem of your garment. Then take some of them and throw them into the ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Seven Trumpets in Full The seven trumpets follow directly after the silence in heaven. When someone reads this, the natural impression it gives is that the seven trumpets are part of the seventh seal. In Revelation 7, there were four angels holding back the winds of destruction until God’s people were sealed. In the seven trumpets, we see destruction come upon the trees, the sea, and the earth — and even the sealing itself is mentioned. This makes us think that these judgments come after the sixth seal. But I propose a different view. There is reason to believe that, although there is a clear sequence of thought and the seventh seal is certainly connected to the trumpets, the seven trumpets do not come chronologically after this seal. We’ve seen the seven churches and the seven seals, so why wouldn’t the seven trumpets, which follow so directly, be parallel to these? The four winds of the sixth seal seem universal. But the judgments of th...

  Revelation: Justification by Faith Trumpets After the silence in heaven following the seventh seal, the trumpets come next. A trumpet in the Bible is often used in the context of war, which fits best in the context of Revelation. As it is written: Numbers 10:9 “And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies.” (ESV) In addition, the fall of the city of Jericho is an interesting explanation for the trumpets. The Israelites had to walk around the city of Jericho for six days and blow trumpets. They did this in great silence, indicating the solemnity of the event. On the seventh day, they were to shout after walking around the city seven times, and then the walls of Jericho would fall at the sound of the trumpet. Joshua 6:1–16 1. Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Isr...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Silence in Heaven Revelation 8:1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. At the seventh seal, we see silence in heaven. After this, in Revelation, we encounter the seven trumpets, which bring judgments. We will later see that these trumpets, although not necessarily in chronological order with the seals, are certainly sequential in thought. In the sixth seal, the day of wrath was announced, and in the seventh seal the judgment is finally present — and for God’s people, this means deliverance. Zephaniah says: Zephaniah 1:7-13 Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near; the LORD has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests. And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice—“I will punish the officials and the king’s sons and all who array themselves in foreign attire. On that day I will punish everyone who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their master’s house wi...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Great Tribulation Revelation 7:13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14. And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The 144,000 are those who come out of the great tribulation. Throughout the whole Bible, we find references to this great tribulation. Jesus said: Matthew 24:21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens wi...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Tabernacling Revelation 7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will spread His tent over them. The message of the tabernacle, the tent of God, is simply this: God with us. Exodus 25:8 And they shall make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. And when Ezekiel received a whole vision of a temple and a city, it says: Ezekiel 48:35 Eighteen thousand cubits all around. And the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE. About Jesus, even the word for tabernacle is used: John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. The Greek word for “dwelt” comes from the word for tabernacle. The body of Jesus is therefore compared to a tabernacle through which God lived among us. So the idea of a tabernacle is that God dwells visibly among us ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Reward Revelation 7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living springs of water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. The 144,000 will go through the great tribulation. But they will overcome and receive the prize. Then that tribulation will have proven to be worth it: Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us. Then there will be no more hunger or thirst. No scorching heat, and even the grief we may have will eventually fade away with this glory. It will be as Isaiah says: Isaiah 49:8 Thus says the LORD: In the time of favor I have answered you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. I will protect you and give you as a covenant to the people, to restore the eart...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Ephraim and Dan A good reason to see the 144,000 as spiritual is the tribes named in Revelation 7. It says: Revelation 7:5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed; from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand; from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand sealed; 6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand sealed; 7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand sealed; 8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand sealed; from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed; and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed. These are not the usual 12 tribes of Israel. The name Ephraim is missing here and is replaced simply by the name Joseph, and Dan is missing to give place to Levi, who normally was not counted in the census because he rec...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith A Census In Revelation 7 we find the 144,000 and a census is taken. We see 12,000 people from 12 tribes: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin. This, of course, describes the children of Jacob, or Israel. With the number 12 we also think of the 12 tribes and the 12 disciples—the people of God. But why this census? What does it represent? The only other place where we see a census like this is in Numbers. What happened there? They were about to enter Canaan, the promised land. The first time they took a census of the people was just before entering the land, in Numbers chapters 1 to 4. But then they were afraid of the people in Canaan and did not believe God would fight for them. Therefore, they had to wander in the wilderness longer until a new generation arose, when another census was taken in Numbers 26. The Levites were not counted then for this reason: Numbers 26:62 The t...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Four Angels Revelation 7:1-3 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind might blow on the earth or sea or against any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” At the sixth seal of the seven seals, we also encounter the 144,000 sealed servants and the four angels who hold back the winds from blowing on the sea, the trees, or the earth. These four winds are therefore universal, covering the whole world. Until those servants receive the seal, these winds must wait. What do these winds represent? Jeremiah 51:1 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will stir up a destroy...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Who Can Stand? The great question for that day of wrath is: Revelation 6:17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who can stand? God Himself, Jesus Christ, will come as the Judge of heaven, and that which can be shaken will not stand. Hebrews 12 makes this clear: Hebrews 12:27-29 27 This “yet once more” indicates the removal of things that can be shaken — that is, things that have been made — so that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 29 For our God is a consuming fire. The question is: what is unshakable? How can we stand firm? The psalmist tells us: Psalm 24:3-6 3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? Who shall stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek ...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Before the Presence of the LORD The things foretold in the sixth seal are all connected to the fact that God Himself will come and everything will be destroyed before His presence. They either precede or accompany this event. Here are a few examples: Isaiah 64:1-3 (ESV): Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence— 3 when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. Nahum 1:5-6 (ESV): The mountains quake before him, the hills melt; the earth trembles at his presence, yes, the world and all who dwell in it. 6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him. Psalm 18:8 (ESV): Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and were shaken, because he was angry. Psalm 144:5-7 (E...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Day Revelation 6:12-17 (ESV): 12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” Almost every book of the Bible speaks about this day. The day of His wrath is breaking forth here, and it causes turmoil. The g...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith How Long? Revelation 6:10 (ESV): And they cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” In Revelation 6, the souls under the altar ask a rightful question: "How much longer?" This is not merely a question of the dead crying out to God in their blood, like Abel did. The living often ask the same question. For so long the whole world has suffered under the weight of godlessness, and Satan has seemingly always had the upper hand. Sometimes God judges clearly in history, but that is far from always the case: Job 12:6 (ESV): The tents of the robbers are at peace, and those who provoke God are secure— those whom God has in his hand. It seems everything is going well for them, and there is no justice. The Psalms, full of faith, ask the same question: Psalm 13:2-3 (ESV): How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long wi...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith Souls Under the Altar Revelation 6:9–11 (ESV): When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. Again we see the language of the tabernacle appearing. At the fifth seal, we see souls under the altar crying out to God for vengeance and justice. They had been slain for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Some interpret this as literal souls who continue living consciously as persons. But that would either be a tight fit under the altar or require a massive altar! No, to better unders...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Pale Horse Revelation 6:7–8 (ESV): When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. Here we see the fourth creature, who comes with death and the realm of the dead. Here Satan gains full dominion, and people become spiritually dead. The sword, famine, wild beasts, and disease are all characteristics of a city under siege. When a city was besieged, access to bring in bread was cut off, and thus hunger came. If they tried to escape, they would face wild beasts or the sword. If the gates opened, they would meet the sword. Hunger and the presence of dead bodies would also bring disease. In the Old Testament, we see plenty of prophecies about this against Je...

Revelation: Justification by Faith Effect of Jesus’ Humanity and the Black Horse ( It is recommended to read  this  study to better understand the current one. ) Last time, we looked at what Jesus’ humanity means and why it is necessary. Now we will consider its effects. First, the humanity of Jesus is the reason He can be the second Adam, and thus His righteousness can be credited to us. We are counted righteous through Him, and He stands in our place. But His life can only stand in our place if He is a human, just like fallen Adam who represents humanity: Romans 5:15–19 (ESV): But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. F...

 Revelation: Justification by Faith The Humanity of Christ and the Black Horse ( It is recommended to read  this  study to better understand the current one. ) The Humanity of Jesus Means the Redemption of Humanity It is impossible to imagine a redeemer of mankind who is not himself human. The Bible speaks about this and says: Hebrews 2:10–11 (ESV): For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, And: Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV): Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not an...

Revelation: Justification by Faith The Divinity of Jesus and the Black Horse ( It is recommended to read this study to better understand the current one. ) Jesus can never be the living bread if He is not God. Justification by faith, our salvation, our hope—it is nothing without His divinity. He had to be both man and God. With His human arm, He can take hold of us, and with His divine arm, He holds on to God. In this way, He is the Mediator between God and man. For John, this is very clear. Every time he speaks about how Jesus is life for us, it is deeply connected to His divinity and power. John 1:1–5 (ESV): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 1 John 5:20 (ESV): And we know that the...