Reading: Revelation 8:1-9:20

Here’s where we’re at event-wise. Jesus, after having some things to say to His churches, has invited John into heaven to take a look around. Which. He sees some wild stuff. There’s the elders and creatures, and God’s throne, and all this culminates with Jesus taking a scroll from God the Father. I told you the scroll was essentially the deed to the earth. The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it—and in His Divine Wisdom He gives the earth to His Son, Jesus. He is meant to rule and reign in an eternal kingdom. However, it’s not just the earth that is the Lord’s, it’s also the land. That is: the promised land of Jerusalem.

So. Two things are happening simultaneously—there’s the destruction of God’s Holy City in 70 AD. This Promised Land: Jerusalem. And there’s also the unveiling of the New Jerusalem; where God’s holy people will live forever. So. One of the questions we’re trying to answer is: does this text refer to Old Jerusalem, New Jerusalem, or both? Spoiler alert, if you haven’t picked up on this yet, it’s often both.

Nonetheless. Going back to the scroll, you’ll recall it has been sealed with seven seals. And with each seal opened a different scene, a different vision gets revealed. There were the 4 horses and their riders, we had an earthquake, and the sun turned black, and there were plagues, it was all kind of bizarre. But then, after the 6th seal is opened, this angel shows up; and he’s like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. None of this can take place until God’s people are sealed.” And that was the good news we left off with. That you can be sealed.

So. Six seals down. One to go—and things are about to get wild. But here’s the big idea: within the text we get 3 examples of 7 happenings. There’s these seven seals, and now seven angels with seven trumpets. In the coming week we’ll read about seven bowls, but all this is symbolizing the completion of God’s work.

Additionally, I think it’s worth considering that: these 3 moments of 7 events (seals, trumpets, bowls) could be the same event told from 3 different angles. Why? Because 3 is an important number in Jewish and Christian traditions. There’s the triune God (Father, Son, Spirit) Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. Deuteronomy 19 requires 3 witnesses. You’re made up of 3 parts, mental, physical, spiritual. So. These 3 events are kind of like a basketball replay. If the ball goes out of bounds, and a coach challenges the official’s call, we get a multiple view replay. From the one angle it’s like, “Oh, that’s clearly out on white.” From the other angle, it’s definitely out on blue.

Same thing here. Don’t necessarily think these are separate, chronological events. More than likely this is God revealing His completed work of 7, in 3 ways.

Next time we’ll discuss some of the images that John sees.

With Gratitude,

pLJ