God, the Avenger of His Children (Revelation 6)

God, the Avenger of His Children (Revelation 6)


Chapter 4 opened this vision with a picture of God on His throne and being worshipped by all creation.  Chapter 5 introduced Jesus Christ as the one worthy redeemer, qualified to reveal the will of God and likewise being worshipped.  The Holy Spirit is also represented as being with those who were pictured as being in the midst of the throne (Revelation 5:6).  So we have all three persons of the Godhead, present in the throne room of God and receiving the worship, adoration, praise and honor of all the saved. 

Something of significance to the first readers of Revelation is happening.  Jesus receives the sealed book of God’s will from the right hand of the Father who sits on His throne.  This book contains the totality of God’s will for mankind from the beginning to the end, however, of importance to John and His brethren living under the immediate circumstances of the persecution, the focus is on their immediate future and the future of the Lord’s church. 

Revelation 6:1
“And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come.”
The Lamb and the creatures represent the same thing they did in earlier parts of the vision.  Once their identity is established in a vision, it remains consistent throughout.  Jesus is opening the first seal.  A seal in this usage represents something that is hidden from view.  The breaking or loosing of the seals in figurative for revealing the contents therein.  Jesus is starting to reveal the contents of the scroll and the creation is telling John to come. 


Revelation 6:2
“And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.”
Horses were always a war animal, especially when someone is pictured as seated on them with weapons of war in their possession.  White is the symbol of purity and righteousness so this white horse is symbolic of something good.  In the old testament prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ we read:

“From him shall come forth the corner-stone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together.  And they shall be as mighty men, treading down (their enemies) in the mire of the streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Jehovah is with them; and the riders on horses shall be confounded.  And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back; for I have mercy upon them; and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am Jehovah their God, and I will hear them”  (Zechariah 10:4-6).

The cornerstone and the house of Judah is representative of Jesus Christ.  Earlier in John’s vision, the lamb was also called the lion of the tribe of Judah.  We know that Jesus Christ descended from the patriarch Judah (Hebrews 7:14).  We see in the prophecy of Zechariah the conflict, the battle, and the battle bow.  Jesus is pictured in Revelation as riding a white horse, carrying a bow and conquering.   The prophecy of Zechariah 10:4-6 is fulfilled in Jesus Christ and confirmed in Revelation 6:2.  The loosing of the first seal was the coming of the Gospel, the perfect plan of redemption for mankind, the law of Christ. 

The crown given to Jesus was the crown of a winner indicating victory in the conflict as He went forth conquering and to conquer.  Jesus overcame the world and lived a sinless life.  He delivered the New Covenant, the law of Christ while He was on earth and after being crucified, He arose, conquered death and ascended to Heaven where He reigns as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords at the right hand side of God the Father. 

Revelation 6:3-4
“And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.  And another (horse) came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”
The persecutor of the church is introduced.  He is pictured riding on a red horse.  The color red was associated with bloodshed in the minds of the first century Christians so the red horse here is a symbol of bloody persecution.  The rider on the red horse was given the power to wage war and would cause the inhabitants of earth to kill each other.  Swords are used in battle to kill one’s opponents, thus we see more reference here to the shedding of blood.  Jesus had come on the white horse and had delivered the way of righteousness and established His church.  Close upon His heels came the rider on the red horse who would persecute the Christians in the Lord’s church.   

This persecution was nothing new to the Christians.  “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).  “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).  “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).  The churches had already been warned earlier that persecution was coming and who was the cause of it in Revelation 2:10, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

Revelation 6:5-6
“And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand.  And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not.“

The color black is representative of darkness and oppression.  Darkness came over the earth when Jesus died on the cross.  The life of the light of the world was being extinguished and left darkness in its path.  There were a lot of trade guilds in the Roman empire.  These trade guilds were similar to the labor unions of today.  One had to be a member of the trade guild in order to work in that profession.  These trade guilds were idolatrous and would offer worship to various pagan gods and in to the Roman Emperor as well.  A trade guild that properly worshipped the Emperor was well favored by the Empire and was allowed to conduct business unmolested.  This presented a serious problem for the Christians.  They could not be a part of these trade guilds and participate in their idolatrous practices.  Not being a member of these trade guilds meant the could not get good jobs which resulted in leaving them poverty stricken. 

Then to make matters worse, the imperial cults in charge of enforcing emperor worship in the empire had the power to deny the right to participate in any kind of trade to anyone refusing to bow down and worship the emperor.  The main imperial cult that was responsible for this was called the “Concilia”.  

A balance was a simple set of scales used to evenly and fairly weigh out such things as silver, gold and food.  They were constructed with a simple beam with a balancing point or fulcrum in the center. They worked by placing an object with a known weight on one side of a beam and when the food or other substance to be weighed was placed on the other side, the equal weights on both sides would cause the whole to balance.   Balances were an emblem justice in Biblical times, (Job 31:6; Psalms 62:9; Proverbs 11:1) and today as well.  Our justice system in the US today is represented by a blindfolded woman holding a set of balances on which truth is weighed out fairly.   Balances were used to weigh out food in exchange for money and a shilling was about a days wages for a days work for someone in the lowest working class.  The first century Christians, incapable of working the better jobs found themselves struggling just to earn money enough to feed their families.

Oil and wine were luxuries beyond necessary needs.  The Christians who were forced to work the lowliest jobs were unable to buy such things, restricted to only that which would sustain their lives and barely enough of that.  They couldn’t afford oil, wine or other luxuries and those who were represented by the the rider on the black horse held it out in front of them, taunting them with it. 

The rider in the black horse with the balance in his hands had the power to tip the scales against the Christians thus causing poverty and hardship for them.  In Jesus’ letters to the churches of Asia, one of the things stressed the most was the forbidding of participating in the riotous public feasts where the meat sacrificed to pagan gods was eaten.  Hunger and poverty was a powerful means of persecution in the first century and we see this vividly portrayed in the rider on the black horse carrying the balances.

Revelation 6:7-8
“And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come.  And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
The color of dead flesh is pale.  The rider on this horse is picturesque of our modern day grim reaper.  His name is death and he is populating the realm of the dead with the souls of men, especially the righteous.  The Christians were put to death by swords, they were starved out and they were slaughtered in the Roman arenas by gladiators and wild beasts.  History records that Nero blamed the great fire of Rome on the Christians and used them as scapegoats in an attempt to detract the blame from himself.  The executions of Christians was intended to be a spectacle. Those professing faith were often sewn up inside the skins of wild animals and thrown into the arena where dogs tore them apart. Others were covered in flammable material and burned alive to light Nero’s gardens at night while he rode around in his chariot among them. Some fell by the sword, others were beheaded, still others were tortured to death. All in all, this was the most widespread and brutal persecution of Christians to date.  And it wasn’t over when Nero died.  The Christians still had to deal with the persecution under the reign of Domitian, which was worse yet. 

The forth part of the earth is interesting.  To those living in the first century, the number four was symbolic of the world in which we live.  In Revelation 20:8, all of the people on earth are represented by the nations “in the four corners of the earth.” so it is probable that the fourth part of the earth could well be the whole world.  The persecution under Nero was bad in Rome, but under Domitian, it escalated to the whole empire.  Christianity became illegal and the imperial cults were dispatched across the realm to stamp out Christians wherever they could be found. 

To be fair to the scholarship of more learned men than myself, I feel compelled to point out the fact that many hold to Revelation 6:7-8 to be a judgment of God on Rome in some fashion.  I disagree with this view of the fourth seal.  Those following along with this study should be well advised to seek out for themselves the history and the facts and make a determination for themselves.  It is my belief that seal number four is representative of the Empire, (world), wide persecution of the saints under the rule of imperial Rome.  The judgments upon Rome were yet to come after the souls of the martyrs cried out for justice as we will see in the loosing of the fifth seal.

 Revelation 6:9
“And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held”
In the vision of the opening of the fifth seal we see a picture of all the multiplied thousands of Christians who had been slain because of their faith.  These are the Martyrs of Christ.  These are the ones who sacrificed everything for the testimony of the word of God.
“Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye when (men) shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).  “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke 9:24).

Revelation 6:10-11
“and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled (their course).”
The souls of those who had been slain wanted to know when justice would be served to their murderers.  This indicates that those who are dead are conscious and aware of the circumstances around their death.  The account of Lazarus and the rich man portrays the lost rich man as being in torment and begging for relief while Lazarus was being comforted in the company of Abraham.  

They were pictured as being given white robes.  As is often the case, the book of Revelation often explains itself:  “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and whence came they?  And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”  The tribulation was the great persecution of the saints by the Roman Empire.  And the white robes they wore were made spotless by the blood of Jesus.  Obviously this is figurative, not to be taken literally.  Blood would not wash anything white.  The imagery here is of the sacrificial blood of Jesus washing away the blackness of sin from the redeemed.  Clothing is the first thing one sees when they see someone.  Sin can not be hidden from God, therefore the stains of sin are pictured as being out there in plain view, on their garments and not hidden beneath.  Those who are clothed in white garments overcame, kept themselves pure and are clothed in righteousness.  “But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.  He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels” (Revelation 3:4-5)

They were told to rest “until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled (their course)”.  The Christians who were killed were told that more would die before it was all over.  This persecution had been going on for some time and it was going to continue for a while.  God was not going to out and out destroy the Roman Empire in one blazing torrent of destruction.  In the garden of Eden, God granted man the freewill choice to decide whether to obey or rebel and this choice has never been taken away.  When someone really loves someone, they give them a choice.  God has never forced mankind to follow Him and is longsuffering of rebellion.  The Roman empire was enormous and it was populated with millions and millions of souls all of which were given plenty of opportunity to repent.    God did not want any of them to be lost, not even the evil emperors who were slaughtering Christians.  “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  No one who died lost in the Roman empire will ever be able to say they didn’t get a fair chance to repent.  “And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21).

Of importance also is that while so many had been killed because of their faith, and that so many more were going to be killed, the Christian facing such tribulation has the promise from God that they will never be tempted beyond what they are able to withstand.  Paul wrote, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).  This is an important promise in that it teaches us that God knows individually what each of His children can endure and that Satan will not be permitted to force a child of God to sin against his or her ability to withstand.  A way of escape is promised and to the faithful martyrs of Christ, this way of escape was mortal death.  “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalms 116:15).

Revelation 6:12-13
“And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. ”
We are getting into a part of the Revelation now that would be dangerous to the Christians in the first century in the hands of their oppressors.  This is the beginning of the judgment of the enemies of God and if they could understand what it meant, it would make life for the Christians all the more difficult.  The Revelation would be rounded up and denied from circulation by the authorities.  The imperial cults in charge of enforcing emperor worship would have immediately confiscated all traces of such a letter and would likely have immediately put to death anyone found possessing it.  By now, the Christians reading it know that the key to understanding the message is the rest of the Bible.  The first visions were easily associated with Jesus Christ and have become progressively more difficult as we get deeper into the letter.  The faithful Christians reading it are easily taught in a progressive manner to look to the rest of scripture for the keys to unraveling the symbols and their meaning while those who have no knowledge whatsoever of Christ or of old testament scripture are left in utter bewilderment and confusion over it.  They will not perceive any danger or threat to themselves, merely thinking the Christians who cherish this letter are merely a bunch of foolish idiots following after a confusing God who communicates in unintelligible ways.  

The genius of God is so evident in how this letter is presented.  The Revelation is given in such a way that only those familiar with the symbolism could understand it and at the same time pointing His faithful children into a study of His word for the things they don’t understand.  God communicates to His afflicted saints while protecting them from their enemies and at the same time sends them through a journey of scripture unlike anything else could have.  One can visualize the old grey headed Jewish Christians who had grown up under the old law setting with the younger ones studying this cherished message of hope from God by inspiration of John and combing through the old testament scriptures to show them what all these symbols meant.  Jerusalem had been destroyed and the Jewish Christians had been dispersed all over the Roman Empire.  There were plenty of people with the knowledge and ability to comprehend the Revelation and to teach those who could not how to understand it. 

What’s the big picture so far?  Laying aside the imagery of all the symbols and focusing on the activities, what is going on so far in the opening of the seals?  The first seal was the coming of Jesus, the second seal represented the coming of the persecutor of the church, the third seal saw this persecution on a worldwide scale, the forth seal was the death of the saints by persecution, and the fifth seal was a picture of the slain crying out for the killing to end and for justice.   Since this letter is addressed specifically to those living in the 1st century and with seven of their congregations having been addressed specifically and in consideration of the fact that the first sentence of the letter told them the events contained therein were going to “shortly come to pass“, we have no logical recourse but to conclude that this letter is in reference to their immediate situations and use that as the basis for how we understand it today and to make the appropriate applications to our lives as necessary. 

The opening of the sixth seal brings the judgment of the persecutors of the church into view.  The martyred saints had cried out for justice and were told to wait yet a “little time” and now in the opening of the sixth seal, we see God’s assurance to them that He will avenge their blood on those who inflicted their deaths and caused such hardship.  By inspiration, John pictures a world in upheaval, with earthshaking natural events, the falling of earthly kings, the loss of the light of righteousness and the encroachment of darkness upon an evil oppressive people. 

To illustrate this, inspiration draws heavily on old testament pictures and descriptions brought upon earlier heathen nations who had sought the destruction of God’s people.  Isaiah used similar language to describe the downfall of Babylon, “Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it.  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine” (Isaiah 13:9-10).  “She shall be visited of Jehovah of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire” (Isaiah 29:6).  “I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering” (Isaiah 50:3).

The prophet Joel use these symbols to describe a future judgment against Israel in connection with the coming of the Messiah, “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh” (Joel 2:30-31).

And in the new testament Jesus used this same symbolic language to foretell the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).

Like many times before, the imagery of falling empires is pictured as the shaking of mountains, the falling of the stars, things turned to blood, loss of light, the encroachment of darkness, smoke, fire and desolation.  This picture of the judgment of God coming on the Roman empire is nothing new in the minds of Christians familiar with similar events foretold in the old and new testament.

Revelation 6:14
“And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.”
Here is more old testament imagery used to visualize the judgment of God bringing about the end of an empire.  “And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll; and all their host shall fade away, as the leaf fadeth from off the vine, and as a fading (leaf) from the fig-tree” (Isaiah 34:4).  Mountains were symbols of permanence, strength and the foundations of the earth were going to be removed from their places.  These are not literal mountains, but rather are used as a figure for the Roman Empire which seemed to be invincible and unconquerable in it’s power. 

The islands represented to the 1st century people the outer reaches or most remote lands and far away possessions of a nation.  At the fall of Tyre, God said the islands would shake, “Thus saith the Lord Jehovah to Tyre: shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?” (Ezekiel 26:15) “Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be dismayed at thy departure” (Ezekiel 26:18.  The coming of judgment of God on the enemies of the Christians would shake the powers of the earth to their furthest reaches.  

Revelation 6:15-16
“And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:”
All the inhabitants of the earth from the slaves to the kings are stricken with terror as the judgment of God descends upon them.  They will go anywhere to hide from the destruction associated with the fall of a great world power.  There was always death and destruction and great fear when an empire was conquered.  And this holds true today.  Great world powers do not go quietly into oblivion.  They are destroyed and the results are far reaching and devastating. 

This is not a picture of the end times judgment as many today try and teach.  These people have time to hide in the caves and the rocks of the mountains.  There is not time to hide when Jesus returns for the final judgment.  This return will be in the twinkling of an eye, (1 Corinthians 15:52), as a thief, in which day [singular] “in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).  The judgment in view here is not the judgment of all creation, rather the judgment of the Roman empire. 

Revelation 6:17
“for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?”
Jesus has opened the sixth seal which is the judgment of the enemies of all righteousness.  Nothing can stop it, nothing can stand in the way.  God is seated on His throne, in complete control and nothing can interfere or stand in the way of His judgments.  The evil Roman Empire for all it’s vast wealth and power cannot hope to stand. 

Who is able to stand?  Nahum asked this same question as God’s judgment was about to fall on Nineveh.  Once repented at the preaching of Jonah, but forsaking God and returning to her evil ways, she faced the same fate as the Roman Empire before the wrath of God.

Nahum 1:3-6
“Jehovah is slow to anger, and great in power, and will by no means clear (the guilty): Jehovah hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel; and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.  The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt; and the earth is upheaved at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.  Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken asunder by him.”

Summary Paraphrase:

And I saw Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah open the first of the book and the saved cried with a thunderous voice, “Come”.  And I saw a vision of Jesus riding on a white horse with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and He rode forth to conquer the enemies of righteousness and He prevailed.

And then I saw Jesus reveal the second part of the book and the creation around the throne said “Come”.  And I saw a vision of someone riding on a bloody horse, who came to take peace from the earth and to compel mankind to slay one another.  He was given great power to accomplish this from Satan.

And then Jesus revealed the third part of what is to come and I heard the voices of the creation around the throne say “Come”.  Then I looked and saw a rider on a horse of darkness carrying a set of scales.  And then I heard a voice coming out from those around the throne saying “A measure of wheat for a days wages and three measures of barley for the same.  And don’t even bother with the oil and the wine because you can never afford it.”

And then Jesus, the Lamb of God revealed what was next and I again heard the voices of the creation say “Come”.  When I looked I saw a rider on a pale ghostly horse and the rider’s name was death and the realm of the dead was filled in his wake.  And he was given the freedom over all the four corners of the earth to slay mankind with swords, famine, wild beasts and other forms of killing.

And then the Lamb revealed the next part and I saw underneath His alter, all the souls of the righteous who were slain because of their faith to the testimony of Jesus.  And they cried out in unison with a loud voice saying, “Oh Holy and True Father, how long before you judge our murderers and avenge our blood on their heads?”  And each one of them was clothed in robes of righteousness and told that they must rest and be patient a while longer. For God’s righteous purpose is not yet fulfilled and many more of their faithful brethren will be slain and will join them before it’s done.

And then the lamb revealed the judgment of the enemies of the Christians.  There were upheavals and the darkness on the earth was so thick, the sun could not shine through it.  The moon shown only bloodshed and the leaders of the earth fell like green figs blown from their trees in a storm.   The heavens revealed the coming judgment from God above and the unshakable powers and strongholds of the earth were moved out of their places to their furthest reaches.

And all the unbelieving kings of earth and all their princes and captains; everyone from the rich and powerful to the slaves will hide themselves wherever they can to try and escape.  They will beg the mountains and the rocks to fall on them in order to hide themselves from the face of the wrath of God’s judgment.  For their time of facing God’s wrath has come and who among them will be able to stand?

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God the Redeemer Revealed (Revelation chapter 5)

God the Redeemer Revealed (Revelation 5)


Revelation chapter 4 was a vision of God on His throne, sovereign, powerful, worshipped by all creation and worthy of that worship.  Chapter 5 is a picture of Jesus Christ who is the only one powerful and worthy enough to reveal the message of redemption and revelation to mankind.   In chapter 5 we further see the power and righteousness of God.  This is to set Him forth as the supreme authority which no man, especially the worldly Roman emperors could hope to usurp.  Under the circumstances of 1st century Roman persecution, the Christians see those leaders who are corrupt and evil and they are comforted with these visions of a righteous and all powerful God who cannot be touched by worldly influences or swayed in any way by the Roman authorities no matter how powerful they may appear.  God is in charge and He is the one true and living God, eternal, all powerful, ever righteous, supreme and unconquerable. 

Looking at the big picture in chapter 5 we see a continuation of the throne scene.  Here we are introduced to the lamb, also described as the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David.  Obviously this is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the redeemer of mankind.  The book He is worthy to unseal and open is, in part, the revelation of God regarding the Christian’s hope and perseverance in Christ and the fate that awaits the enemies of God.   Jesus Christ lived in the sinful world and prevailed against all temptations and emerged as the only one powerful enough and with the authority to reveal what was going to happen.

So now all the persons of the Godhead are pictured together in the throne scene.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit have all been represented and are the center and focus of the worship and adoration of the creation. 

Revelation 5:1
“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals.”
God was holding in His right hand a book.  The right hand is symbolic of a favored position.  The right hand of God is where Jesus is pictured as ruling His kingdom (Hebrews 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22).  Notice that the book in God’s hand was written on the inside and on the back.  Typically things written in the first century were on scrolls and they would be rolled up.  This scroll had writing on the front and back which gives the impression that there is a lot to be revealed.  The book is full and complete.  There is no more room for anymore writing or anything to be added to it or changed in any way and when it is opened the people will know all they need to know.

This scroll is also tightly sealed with seven seals.  The number seven representing total completeness means that the book was sealed in such a way that it was not going to be easily opened.  The picture here is that the future cannot be in any way known but by the intervention of Jesus Christ and will remain a secret until he comes along and reveals it.  No one can know the mind of God until it has been revealed.   Paul taught, “but as it is written, Things which eye saw not, and ear heard not, And (which) entered not into the heart of man, Whatsoever things God prepared for them that love him.  But unto us God revealed (them) through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  For who among men knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of the man, which is in him? even so the things of God none knoweth, save the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:9-11).

Revelation 5:2
“And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”
And John sees in his vision a powerful angel.  Obviously not all angels are created equally, there being some kind of hierarchy among them.  We do not know how this works however we see in scripture where Michael the archangel contended with Satan for the body of Moses.  In the Greek the word for archangel means “chief angel”.  This angel was powerful and high in authority which suggests that any angel less than he was not even in consideration as a candidate for the task of revealing the future. 

Power alone is not qualification enough to reveal these secrets either.  The proper candidate had to be worthy of this task.  This is a significant point.  Jesus was worthy in light of His righteousness, having lived life on earth as a man and successfully enduring having never sinned, not even when scourged and crucified by His own creation.  Jesus earned the right to reveal the secrets of God.

Revelation 5:3
“And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon.”
In particular, none of the emperors of the Roman Empire had the authority or were worthy to reveal what was going to happen.  They were not even able to look at it.  The first century people were being forced to worship the emperors as gods on earth.  These emperors were being hailed as all powerful individuals and they certainly looked it to the those outside the church.  But those in the church were being given a picture of the real authority, the real king and the real God. 

Revelation 5:4
“And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon”
The Christians were living in desperate times.  John was told to come see what would happen in chapter 4 verse 1.  The persecution was bad and it was going to get worse.  Keep in mind that John was on Patmos at the time he received these revelations.  Patmos was a forced labor prison facility for the Roman Empire.  John was most likely not there of his own choosing so was feeling the pressure of the persecution.  He was on an island of rock far away from his beloved brethren and was undoubtedly greatly concerned for their wellbeing.  He was undoubtedly anxious, possibly frantic to know what the fate of his brothers and sisters would be, not to mention the fate of the Lord’s church in general.  With the lives of his brethren hanging in the balance, it looked like no one would be able to tell him what he so desperately wanted to know.  So in despair he wept for his brethren, the church and for himself. 

Revelation 5:5
“and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.”
John was comforted with the words that Jesus had overcome sin and was able to reveal God’s message.  The lion, because of its strength and courage is known as the king of beasts. The Lion of the tribe of Judah thus signifies the kingly power and majesty of Christ the Lord. He is the conqueror, the Ruler, the King whose lineage is traced through tribe of Judah.  “For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests” (Hebrews 7:14).  Reference also Genesis 49:10, Micah 5:2, Luke 3:33.

King David, son of Jesse (Ruth 4:22),  was a descendant of the tribe of Judah.  Therefore the root of Jesse and of David shows Jesus’ connection with that lineage. “And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1).  Reference also Isaiah 11:10, Jeremiah 23:5, Romans 1:3.

God spoke to David through the prophet Nathan; “And it shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.  I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee;  but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for ever” (1 Chronicles 17:11-14).

Revelation 5:6
“And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.”
And John sees in the midst of it all Jesus Christ, the Son of God pictured here as both a powerful and noble lion, ruling over the other beasts, and as a sacrificial lamb with seven horns, meaning perfect power, and seven eyes, meaning perfect all seeing vision.  Being pictured in the midst of the throne conveys the idea that Jesus was sharing the throne with God.  “He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne” (Revelation 3:21).  “for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).  “And there shall be no curse any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein: and his servants shall serve him” (Revelation 22:3).

Jesus is pictured here as a lamb which is symbolic of the sacrificial system and thus represents the redemption of sin.  “On the morrow he [John the baptist], seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  “…He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth” (Acts 8:32).  “but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, (even the blood) of Christ” (1 Peter 1:19).

The seven eyes of the lamb which are the seven Spirits of God is representational of the perfect and complete Spirit, the Holy Spirit, given to Jesus without measure.  “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.  The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand” (John 3:34-35).

Revelation 5:7
“And he came, and he taketh (it) out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne.”
Jesus, the Son of God, the only one in existence worthy to unseal the revelation of God has taken it from the right hand of God the Father.  John who wept because no one could be found who could reveal the will of God now saw the book containing that message in the hands of Jesus Christ.  It should be noted here that this vision is not just a vision of the revelation at hand, but a general representation of God’s will overall being given into the hands of Jesus.  Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth, (Matthew 28:18) and has the right to execute judgment (John 5:27).  The book taken from the hand of the Father by Jesus is representative of the eternal purpose of God’s plan for man’s salvation.  All authority has been passed to the Son in His ascension to reign at the right hand of God the Father.   And only He is able to open this book and reveal the contents. 

The things said to be in that book represented the plan formulated in the mind of God before time began and was a mystery until the fullness of time when it was brought forth and revealed.  “making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, (I say,)  in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:9-11).  See also Romans 16:25, 2 Timothy 1:9 and Titus 1:2. 

In this vision we are seeing a grand scene of the overall passing of authority from God the Father to God the Son and His ascension to the throne where He now rules.  One almost gets the feeling they are witnessing a coronation ceremony of sorts where the one who prevailed and has passed the test now assumes the role promised Him since before time began.

Revelation 5:8
“And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
And when Jesus who had prevailed had taken possession, and the authority of, God’s word, all creation, represented as the creatures over whom the Lion of Judah reigns, fell down before Him.  We notice here that the Son of God is worthy to receive worship. 

All those around the throne have in their possession harps and vials of odours which are the prayers of the saints.  These instruments of worship are figurative and have no bearing on manmade instruments in our worship today.  Harps are old testament symbols of praise to God.  Harps, psaltries and viols were instruments of praise in old covenant worship and were never used in the new covenant worship during the first century nor for about a thousand years afterwards.  Paul referred to the harp, pipe and trumpet in 1 Corinthians 14:7-8 in order to illustrate a point, but gave no indication they were used in worship.  John later wrote of hearing the one hundred and forty four thousand whose voice was “as the voice of harpers harping with their harps” (Revelation 14:2), and he saw those who were victorious before the beast and his image “having the harps of God” (Revelation 15:2).  Whatever these harps are in the throne room of heaven, we know they were provided by God and were suitable for use there, but on earth, God “dwelleth not in temples made with human hands, neither is he worshipped with men’s hands as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:24-25 KJV).  In contrast to the heavenly instruments mentioned here, they are all silenced in fallen Babylon (Revelation 18:22).  If one is going to literalize the harps here and take them to authorize manmade musical instruments in worship to God on earth today then they better at least acknowledge that the harpers and other musicians would not have been completely silenced after the fall of the Roman Empire if there were any of them performing in the Lord’s church at that time. 

The “golden bowls full of incense” were identified as being the prayers of the saints.  In old testament worship incense was burned in the temple while prayers were being offered outside (Luke 1:10).  In Revelation 8:3-4 the same figurative language we see in verse 8 is also used to illustrate the prayers of the saints; “And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”  The incense and the harps in this vision were old testament symbols which represented the prayers and the praise of the Christians.  If we were going to literalize the harps, then consistency would demand that we also literalize the incense and start burning it during our prayer in worship to God. 

In this verse we see the prayers of the saints coming before the Throne of God.  Our prayers are heard by God.  James taught that the “fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much” in 5:16. “And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).  “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31).  What a comfort it must have been to the persecuted Christians to know that their prayers of affliction and supplication were heard by God.

Revelation 5:9
“And they sing a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood (men) of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation,”
The new song being sung here is the song of redemption.  A song never before heard because Jesus Christ was slain as the perfect sacrifice and with His blood accomplished something the blood of bulls and goats could never do; the removal of sin completely.  The old law of Moses with the animal sacrifices was unable to make the Israelites perfect (Hebrews 10:1).  The blood of bulls and goats could not take away their sin (Hebrews 10:4).  It was only a temporary measure until Jesus’ blood would redeem them completely.  Those who lived faithfully under the old covenant and offered the blood of the sacrifices were purchased by the blood of Jesus when He died on the cross (Hebrews 9:15).  Those today who live after the cross do not have to offer the yearly sacrifices because we have been purged and been made complete (Hebrews 10:1-10).  Today we have a covenant which is faultless, being established on better promises (Hebrews 8:6-7), with Jesus as our High priest and mediator (Hebrews 6:20;12:24, 1 Timothy 2:5).  And this blood sacrifice of Jesus was for all mankind, not just for those living under the old law (Hebrews 10:10, Ephesians 2:12-18).  All the faithful children of God who lived under the old law, and all the saved under the new covenant both Jews and Gentiles were singing the new song of redemption, never before heard or known until Jesus Christ came and offered His blood for all sins forever and then sat down on the right hand of God (Hebrews 10:12-14). 

Revelation 5:10
“and madest them (to be) unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon earth.”
Under the old law, the Jewish High Priest offered up the sacrifices for the sins of the people after he had offered up sacrifices for his own sins (Hebrews 7:27).  The Jewish high priests were taken from among men so they were imperfect (Hebrews 7:28).  Jesus blood purged the sins of all His children forever (Hebrews 10:14) and there is no longer a need for a Jewish High Priest to offer up sacrifices.  Jesus is our High Priest now and because of the blood of His sacrifice all His children are now able to offer up their own sacrifices and praise and worship to God. 

The kingdom mentioned here is the kingdom of God which is peopled by the “called out” or in the Greek is the word “Ekklesia” which is translated “church” in the new testament.  The Ekklesia is not a building, rather it is a people made up of all the saved in Christ.  And all the members of the Ekklesia have been purged of their sins by the blood of Christ and can therefore serve as a priest in their own capacity.  In short, all who are saved can now offer their praise and worship to God directly without having to go through a Jewish High Priest as a mediator.  Our mediator today is not some man who is himself sinful, but Jesus Christ who is sinless and is the perfect High Priest.  The kingdom of God is the total assembly of His children today and it is called a kingdom because everyone in it is a royal priest unto God. 

“But ye are a elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for (God’s) own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Revelation 5:11
“And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands”
What John was seeing here was the whole creation; angels, elders and the redeemed assembled about the throne of God and they were too numerous even to count. 

Revelation 5:12-13
“saying with a great voice, Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing.  And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things are in them, heard I saying, Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, (be) the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever.”
In chapter 4 we saw God on His throne with His Spirit receiving the worship of all creation.  In chapter 5 we see His Son, Jesus Christ introduced, worthy and receiving all the worship of all the creation as well.  Notice carefully the wording “Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb”.  The Lamb is equally worshipped with He who sits on the throne.  The Godhead is made up of three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, perfectly united with one single nature, thus when God is worshipped on His throne, all three are.   

Revelation 5:14
“And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.”
The word “Amen” means “be it so“.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God has been presented as the only one worthy to reveal the word of God and to receive the worship and adoration of all the creation.  Looking at this through the eyes of the first century Christians living under the oppression of the Roman Empire we see a contrast between this and what the Roman Empire insisted on.  The emperors who demanded to be worshipped as Gods were not Holy.  They were not worthy of the worship of mankind.  They didn’t purchase anything with their blood and couldn’t if they wanted to because it was unfit for the task.  They did not come back from the dead when they died.  They did not prevail against the world and emerge sinless.  None of them were pictured standing around the throne of God receiving the worship of all creation.  None of them reached up and took from God’s right hand the sealed book. 

To the first readers of the Revelation, God is presented as the only true and worthy recipient of man’s worship and this has to be a tremendous comfort to those who are being persecuted because of their faith.  Total and complete praise is seen as being offered to God and God alone.  His throne rules, be it so.

Summary Paraphrase:

And I saw God seated on His throne and holding in His right hand a perfectly sealed scroll with words written on it inside and out.  And then I saw a powerful angel announcing in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open this scroll?”  And no one in heaven or on the earth or in Hades was able to open the scroll and reveal its message.  And I wept greatly because no one could be found to open the scroll and read it.  Then one of the elders said to me, Stop weeping!  God’s Son, the Lion of the house of Judah, the offspring of King David has prevailed.  He can break the seals and open the scroll.

And I looked and saw with God on His throne and among the elders and the saved of earth, His Son who had been slain but was now standing, having all power and authority and with the all seeing Spirit of God who has been sent far and wide into all the earth.  And the Son went and took the scroll from the right hand of the Father seated on His throne.  And when God’s Son held the scroll in His hand, all the elders and the saved bowed before Him and worshipped and the prayers of the saints on earth were heard and were like bowls of sweet incense before God.

And now they are singing a new song never heard before, saying You are worthy to take the scroll and to reveal its message for You were slain and with your blood you purchased all men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation of the earth.  And you made them a royal race in your kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign as kings over the earth.  

And then as I looked, I heard the voices of many angels on every side of God’s throne and of the elders and all the saved and there were so many they could not be numbered.  And they were all proclaiming loudly, “Worthy is the Son who was slain to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty and blessing!”  And then I heard every created thing everywhere crying out in unison unto God and His Son, to You be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the dominion for all eternity.”  And then all the saved said ” AMEN!!!, Let it be so!” And the elders laid down on their faces and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever.

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John’s Throne Vision (Revelation chapter 4)

The Throne of God (Revelation 4) The entire 4th chapter of Revelation is a vision of the throne room of God.  The seven churches have been addressed and it is now time to move into the task of revealing those things that must shortly come to pass.

God is sovereign over all His creation, therefore it is only fitting for the first vision to establish His glory and supreme power.  Before any of the trials of the Christians, before any of the atrocities of their enemies, we first get to see the supreme God, creator and ruler of the universe on His throne.  As mentioned in previous studies, the figurative language is not meant to be taken literally, rather it is designed to illustrate things by association in the imaginations of the first readers. 

Before we try and break every aspect of this vision down, we are first going to take a broad view of the vision as a whole.   The throne scene of chapter 4 is a very easy vision to understand so this will be a relatively easy and straightforward exercise.  The means by which we first look at this vision will form the pattern for later more difficult visions.

The primary goal of these lessons are not so much to break each aspect of the visions down and explain them, but to teach others how to do so for themselves.  I can just about guarantee that I will not be completely accurate on my interpretation of all of these visions, especially in view of the broad range of opinion among scholars out there.  The approach we are going to use for these visions is going to be to allow the Bible to explain the details to the greatest degree possible and to try to choose what would make the most sense to someone reading this letter in the first century.  We are going to keep in mind that those living in the first century are going to read this letter and naturally associate it with the circumstances under which they are living.  And for good reason because the Revelation was addressed to them, it was delivered to them first, the visions described therein fit their historical circumstances so closely that it cannot be coincidence.  Therefore we are going to look at this marvelous work, to the greatest degree possible, through their eyes.

The Broad View of Chapter 4.  Who are the characters in the vision? What are they doing?  What activities are taking place overall?  The answers to these and similar questions will better help us to realize what these visions mean in the grand scheme of things. 

God is the chief and primary subject in view.  He is pictured as being seated on a throne.  The language describing Him paints a picture of glory, power, and majesty in the imaginations of the readers.  God is being worshipped and exalted by all the rest of the characters of the vision continually.   Who worships God?  All of His creation who willingly choose to do so.   Now that we have formed a general picture of what the vision is all about, keeping that in mind, we will now move on to the specifics.  

Looking back in the old testament we see Ezekiel’s vision of the throne scene.  It is of great interest that we observe the similarities between the two and consider that the first readers of this Revelation, especially the Jewish Christians would be familiar with the imagery and would be able to visualize an association between the two.  As we look at John’s vision of God’s throne, let’s keep in mind Ezekiel’s as well. 

Ezekiel 1:25-28
25 And there was a voice above the firmament that was over their heads: when they stood, they let down their wings.
26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it above.
27 And I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upward; and from the appearance of his loins and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.
28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Revelation 4:1
After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, (a voice) as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.

After the messages to the churches were delivered, John looked and saw into heaven.  And he heard the same voice he heard earlier speaking to him.  This voice was like a trumpet, coming through loud and clear and it was telling him to approach and see the things which must happen later. 

Revelation 4:2
Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne;

And immediately John was under the influence of the Holy Spirit and he was shown a vision of a throne placed in heaven and there was someone setting on that throne.  A throne represents a place from which someone of authority rules his subjects.

Revelation 4:3
and he that sat (was) to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and (there was) a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon.

And He that sat upon the throne shone like diamonds and sardius stones.  Sardius stones were a bright red stone found mainly near Sardis and named for it.  They are said to be the modern day equivalent of the carnelian.  The first readers of Revelation knew exactly what they were and it is possible they would associate the blood red color of a sardius stone with Jesus’ blood of the new covenant.  God’s everlasting covenant never to destroy the earth with a flood again was sealed with a rainbow in the clouds.  The rainbow would likely symbolize an everlasting covenant with God to the minds of the first readers. 

Revelation 4:4
And round about the throne (were) four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones (I saw) four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold.

The twenty-four elders were setting on thrones in this image.  Thrones and crowns are representative of a position of authority so these elders are going to be prominent figures in the minds of the first readers.  There were twelve Patriarchs of the tribes of Israel, the sons of Jacob, and there were twelve original apostles of Jesus Christ.  It is almost certain the 24 elders mentioned in this vision are representative of these individuals.  These elders, dressed in white which represents purity, were seated round about the throne of God which places Him as the centerpiece of their attention.  All eyes are on God. 

Revelation 4:5
And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thunders. And (there was) seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;
The lightnings, voices and thunderings are reminiscent of the conditions surrounding Mount Sinai while the people waited for the giving of the law.  “And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled.  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.  And mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Jehovah descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly” (Exodus 19:16-18).

The seven lamps of fire are described as being the seven Spirits of God.  We know God only has one Spirit (Ephesians 4:4), so the seven is therefore representative of the totality of God’s Spirit which rounds out the image of His complete power and sovereignty.  It is only fitting that a vision of the throne room of God include His Holy Spirit, present with Him in a position of authority, glory and power. 

Revelation 4:6
“and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like a crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.“
In the imaginations of the 1st century Christians, the sea, being a source of many a storm and the death of many a mariner, represents something violent, unpredictable and dangerous.  But the sea in this vision is still, calm and tranquil.  Jesus calmed the storms as recorded in Mark 4:39.  As powerful as God is and as ominous as the thunders and lightnings are, those in His immediate presence are on calm, peaceful waters, having nothing to fear.  Those standing about the throne of God have come through the storms and are on a sea that has been calmed, at peace and is still. 

The sea of glass like a crystal is a barrier between the Christians and God on His throne.  Christians walk by faith and not by site, not being allowed in the literal presence of God in His throne room.  At the end time when the redeemed inherit their home in heaven, they will have to access God through the limitations of any barriers.  They will be in his literal presence.  In Revelation 21 we are given a vision of Heaven and in verse one, the sea which is present in this vision is absent. 

The living creatures in John’s vision are similar to Ezekiel’s vision of the four creatures in chapter 1; “And out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man” (Ezekiel 1:5). “As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and they four had their rims full of eyes round about” (Ezekiel 1:18).

The number four was symbolic of the world in which we live and when the first readers saw this number they would then associate it with all life on this earth.  In interpreting what these living creatures are, it is important to examine their characteristics and what they were doing.  They were alive and were assembled about God’s throne, in verse 9 they are worshipping God on His throne, giving thanks to Him.   All mankind is commanded to give “thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).   Examine the activities and qualities of these figurative animals and compare them with who or what we know in existence that would best match their characteristics and behavior.  The four living creatures assembled all around the throne are representative of all of mankind in God’s creation who are saved.

Revelation 4:7
“And the first creature (was) like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature (was) like a flying eagle.”
These characteristics are exactly like those of the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision; “As for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and they four had the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four had also the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:10).

Looking closely at the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision we see one of their characteristics that sheds tremendous light on what they represented.  “And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; they turned not when they went” (Ezekiel 1:12).  The creatures in Ezekiel’s vision followed wherever the Spirit led never turning from their course.

All four creatures represented mankind as a whole, each individual creature exhibited one of man’s unique qualities when taken as a whole separate mankind utterly from the rest of the animal kingdom and from the lost.  The saved who were assembled about the throne were noble like a lion, domesticated and in servitude like a calf or an ox, wise like men who had ears and listened to what the Spirit said they came from the far corners of the earth, soaring high above the lost of the world, like eagles on wings.  Noble, in faithful service, wise, and soaring high above the lost on earth.  Who is this a picture of?  They are the saved of the earth that follow wherever the Spirit leads. 

Revelation 4:8
“and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, (is) the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.”
Here we have the four living creatures praising God in the same fashion as the Seraphim in Isaiah 6:2-3, “Above him stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” 

Some have suggested that the living creatures of Revelation 4 are representative of the Seraphim in Isaiah because of the similarity of the six wings.  The living creatures in Ezekiel have four wings each while the Seraphim each have six which match the wing count of the four living creatures in Revelation.  It should be noted that the number of Seraphim in attendance around the throne of God is not mentioned while the living creatures of Ezekiel are and are described with the same facial features and animal likenesses.  It is often the case in Revelation that John draws on the imagery of numerous accounts in order to complete the total picture of what he is seeing in his own vision.  The purpose for this is to refer the reader’s mind back to other Biblical imagery to help form in his mind a picture of the vision in John’s mind.  It is helpful to focus more on the activities than the specifics.  What’s going on?  What are they doing?  Who is being worshipped and who is doing the worshipping and how are they doing it?   It is this Bible student’s opinion that the imagery of the four living creatures is not an either/or case, rather they represent a combination of the two in appearance and activity. 

The four figurative creatures in John’s vision had more wings than an ordinary eagle.  The characteristics one would associate an eagle with are amplified in this vision threefold.  These creatures never cease from worshipping and thanking and giving honor to God.  This is representative of an everlasting eternity in presence with God where the saved will honor and glorify Him who existed before anything did, is living now and will come again which is representative of Jesus Christ. 

Revelation 4:9-10
“And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever, the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,”
And when all of saved mankind from the earth worship God on His throne who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before the throne and worship God with them, throwing their crowns on the ground at the foot of God’s throne.  The elders are not in any way the recipients of worship.  The worship of the living creatures and the elders is directed wholly and solely upon God.  All the figurative crowns, which came from God, are removed and thrown at His feet.  When God is worshipped, all eyes, all glory, all reverence, all praise and all attention is directed solely at Him. 

Revelation 4:11
“Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.”
God claims to be worthy to receive glory, honor and power.  This is in contrast to those of the first century who demanded to be worshipped as Gods on earth but were not worthy.  The word “for” introduces an explanation of what was first stated.  The Roman emperors didn’t create anything.  It was not because of their will that anything existed.  They built a lot of temples to their own glory but they didn’t create anything.  It was God’s will that all things were created and existed.  No man had anything to do with that and inspiration claims this makes God worthy of glory and honor.  “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork” (Psalms 19:1).

There were so many false pagan gods one could worship.  These Gods were dreamed up in the minds of men and were a reflection of man’s capricious ways.  These Gods were often portrayed as possessing the lustful and worldly characteristics of the people that dreamed them up.  The God we serve is not like those gods.  The pagan gods invented and served by men were no better than they were.  The one true and living God we serve is true, just, trustworthy and pure.  God is incapable of any unrighteous act and is the image of absolute holiness and perfection and is powerful beyond human comprehension.  Inspiration used the creation in this example to illustrate God’s power.  Consider for a moment just how vast the known universe is and what it must have entailed to bring about its creation from nothing.  The Roman emperors who proclaimed themselves to be gods and required the worship of men couldn’t create the dust on their sandals.  They were untrustworthy, cruel and followed after the lusts of their own hearts. 

We serve a powerful, caring, just, honest, trustworthy, righteous and deserving God.  Our God is perfect and is worthy of the honor and glory of His creation.  Our God is worth living for and certainly worth dieing for if necessary.  And as we will see later on, many did die for Him. 

Summary Paraphrase:

Revelation 4
After Jesus finished addressing the seven churches,  I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven!  And the first voice which I had heard again addressed me like the calling of a trumpet and said to me, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place in the future. ”  And immediately I came under the Holy Spirit’s power and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it!   And He Who sat upon the throne radiated light like diamonds and rubies and all around His throne was a halo that looked like an emerald rainbow.

Twenty-four other thrones surrounded the main throne, and seated on these thrones were twenty-four elders all dressed in white spotless clothing, with crowns of gold upon their heads.  Out from the central throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder, and in front of this throne seven blazing torches burned, which represented the sevenfold perfect Spirit of God.  And in front of the throne there was also what looked like a transparent glassy sea like a crystal, still and calm and safe.  And around the throne, in the center at each side of the throne, were all the saved, seeing what is before and behind them, noble, penitent, wise and soaring on the wings of eagles, high above the earth. 

And when they all offer glory, honor and thanksgiving to God who sits on His throne and will never die, all the elders throw their crowns at God’s feet and fall on their faces with them and join them in worship, crying out “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things and by Your will they were brought into being and were created.”

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Letter to Your Church

Revelation 3:22
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.” This phrase occurs 7 times in Revelation, once for every church addressed by Jesus.  And in every one of them, the word churches was in the plural form.  In other words, what Jesus said to one of them applied to them all.  We just finished Laodicea who was lukewarm.  God told them to be zealous, this was not just meant for the church at Laodicea, it had an application to them all. 

The letters to the seven churches are a priceless treasure of information for all Christians of all ages.  We do not have to guess or to speculate as to what Jesus expects from His church.  We have it right there in front of us.  In all of Revelation, the language used in the letters to the churches is the least figurative and by far the easiest to understand.  Any babe in Christ can pick up the Revelation and understand what “be zealous” and “he that overcometh and keepeth my words” means.  It’s easy to figure out what Jesus is saying to these churches and this is probably why they are somewhat overlooked today.  Most people pick up the Revelation and gloss right over the first three chapters and jump straight into the thick of all the imagery afterwards and sometimes miss some of the most valuable information in all of scripture. 

The Gospel accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John reveal Jesus Christ.  The book of Acts teaches us how to get into Jesus Christ.  The general epistles teach us how to live in Jesus Christ and Revelation teaches us how to die in Jesus Christ.  “He that overcometh” and is “faithful unto death” is the one who dies in Jesus Christ. 

So with that said, what if we take all the positive things Jesus said to all seven of the churches and put them all together?  And then what if we took all the negative things Jesus said to them and do likewise?  What would a church look like that had all of the good qualities of all seven churches, rejecting all the bad qualities and obeying all the exhortations at the same time? 

 

Praiseworthy Qualities Condemned Qualities Exhortations Ephesus:

  • Labored for His name’s sake
  • Had patience
  • Had borne their burdens
  • Exposed and refused to tolerate false teachers
  • Had endurance, did not faint
  • Lost their first Love
  • Remember from where they fell
  • Repent of wrongdoing
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit
  • Overcome

Smyrna:

  • Good works
  • Persevered against intense persecution
  • Persevered against deep poverty

 

  • Do not fear
  • Be faithful unto death
  • Overcome
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit

Pergamos:

  • Held fast to Jesus’ Name
  • Did not deny the faith of Jesus
  • Tolerated false teaching
  • Allowed false teachers to throw stumbling blocks
  • Repent
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit
  • Overcome

Thyatira:

  • They were commended for their charity
  • and service
  • and faith
  • and patience
  • and works which were increasing
  • Tolerated false prophets
  • Tolerated fornication and eating of meats sacrificed to idols
  • Hold steadfast
  • Overcome
  • Keep (Obey) Jesus words to the end
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit

Sardis:

  • Some had not defiled their garments
  • Spiritually dead
  • Not vigilant
  • Be watchful
  • Strengthen what they do have
  • Overcome
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit

Philadelphia:

  • Good works
  • They had opportunity
  • They kept, (followed), Jesus’ word
  • Patient
  • Had not denied His name

 

  • Be steadfast
  • Take advantage of opportunity
  • Overcome
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit

Laodicea:

  • Poor works
  • Lukewarm service
  • Think too highly of themselves
  • Wretched
  • Poor
  • Blind
  • Miserable
  • Naked
  • Open their eyes and see themselves for what they really are
  • Be zealous
  • Sacrifice themselves in service
  • Open the door of opportunity and let Jesus in
  • Overcome
  • Heed the words of Christ through the Spirit

Taking all in all and forming a total picture of what we see, we get a mental image of a church that first and foremost loves Jesus Christ and has Him as its head, heeds His word, is loving, patient, enduring, fearless, watchful, faithful, busy, growing, steadfast, self sacrificing, charitable and obedient to the will of God.  Intolerant of sin and false teaching, zealous for and rich in good works, repentant of wrongdoing, eager for opportunity, not thinking too highly of themselves and faithful unto death.  

These are the qualities we must seek in our own congregations.  If we lack any of these, we need to heed the words of Christ through the Spirit and diligently try to add them.  Some of these churches only had one or two things that Jesus Condemned them for.  The penalty He warned them of was severe.  Their fellowship with Christ was at stake. 

The application for us today is that we need to recognize that we have before us a picture of exactly what Jesus Christ expects of His church.  He died for it, He shed His blood for it, he built it, He heads it and possesses it, He loves it and rules it from heaven.  It is up to us to make sure it is what He would have it to be.  We know exactly what He expects and the responsibility for that has been given to us through the word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and authoritative for us today. 

We do not want Jesus Christ standing on the outside of the door of fellowship like He was with Laodicea.  We do not want Him knocking on the doors of our congregation from the outside.  We want Him on the inside, in fellowship with us and the way to assure ourselves of this is to be what He would have us to be. 

“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches“

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Laodicea (The Lukewarm Church)

Laodicea (The Lukewarm Church)

Now we come to the seventh and final church Jesus specifically addressed.  The Christians in Philadelphia received high praise and more opportunity from Jesus.  It is with a sense of hope and high endeavor as we seek to emulate them in our own congregations.  However, as wonderful as the praise and words were for Philadelphia, the words for Laodicea were just the opposite.  Jesus described Sardis as being dead, but there were Christians in Sardis who were faithful.  There were a few things in the church at Sardis that could be built upon.  Jesus had no words of praise but only rebuke for the church at Laodicea. 

Laodicea was located in the Lycos valley in the province of Phrygia.  It was located at the intersection of three imperial trade routes, which favored its development as a commercial and administrative center. The city occupied an almost square plateau several hundred feet high about two miles south and above the valley of the Lycus River and flanked along its sides by the small rivers Asopus and Caprus, which discharge their waters into the Lycus.  The city was protected by the Salbacus and Cadmus mountains to the south, which rise to over 8,000 feet above sea level. Laodicea was just over one hundred miles from Ephesus, six miles south of Heirapolis, and eleven miles west of Colosse.  Directly opposite the city, a cliff of about a mile wide arose some 300 feet above the city.  The city was originally called Diospolis, and afterwards Rhoas and  then Laodicea,

Laodicea was originally founded by Antiochus II of Syria (261 BC – 246 BC), who named it after his wife Laodike.  Antiochus populated it with Syrians and with about 2000 Jewish families who had been moved to Phrygia and Lydia from Babylonia.  Laodicea had an extensive Jewish population numbering by some accounts to have over 7500 registered tax payers.  In 62 AD the Jews collected and sent over 22 pounds of gold to Jerusalem for their annual temple contribution which the Romans seized. 

Laodicea was built on the great highway from Asia Minor to the east, at the junction of several important routes.  After the Roman province of Asia was formed in 190 BC, it grew to become a great and wealthy center of industry.   The Syrians and the Pergamenes dominated the city from 190 BC until the death of Attalus III of Pergamum when it came under Roman rule in 133 BC.  King Attalus III had no male heirs and left his entire kingdom in his will to the Roman Empire.  The Romans reconstructed and improved the ancient trade routes so that the city became the major junction for traffic west to Ephesus and the Aegean, north and west to Philadelphia, Pergamum, and Smyrna, east through southern Galatia, and south to the Mediterranean. Although it had formally been a small city, it grew rapidly as a result of Roman rule and became one of the wealthiest cities in Phrygia.  Laodicea received from Rome the title of free city. During the Roman period Laodicea was the chief city of a Roman conventus iuridicus, which comprised twenty-four cities besides itself.  A conventus iuridicus was the capital city of a subdivision of some provinces such as Dalmatia, Spain and Asia, which functioned as an administrative and judicial center. 

Laodicea was famous especially for the fine black wool of its sheep and for the Phrygian powder for the eyes, which was manufactured there.  Nearby was the temple of Men Karou who was the Phrygian God of healing.  His Greek counterpart was known as Asklepios, and associated with their temple was a well known school of medicine.  In the year 60 AD, the city was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake, but so wealthy were its citizens that they rejected the aid of Rome, and quickly rebuilt it at their own expense. It was a city of great wealth, with extensive banking operations.

Pagan worship in Laodicea:
Along with the temple to Asklepios one could find the worship of Zeus and of Isis.  Isis was an Egyptian mother god associated with the Phrygian goddess, Cybele.  She was also associated with Aphrodite and Venus who were all characterized with orgiastic behavior in their worship.  Imperial worship began early in the city, but no evidence exists that Laodicea ever had a temple for the imperial cults so their influence, while definitely oppressive may have been a little less severe than in some of the other cities. 

The church in Laodicea may have been founded by Epaphras of Colossi, a companion of Paul, during Paul’s third missionary journey.  A marble block bearing the name of Epaphras has been discovered in the city. There is no record of Paul visiting the city himself, but some of the Christians there were known to him by name. He wrote a letter to the church there which has been lost. Paul tells the Colossians that he was “struggling” for this city (2:1), indicating he was aware of the situation in the church there, and passes greetings to them through the church in their sister-city, Colossi (4:15).  It is possible that the Philemon of the New testament may have been from Laodicea.  There has been an inscription discovered in the city written by a freed slave to a master called Marcus Sestius Philemon.

Revelation 3:14
And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:
The word “Amen” literally means, let it be so.  “The Amen” here denotes the one in whom reality is found. There is also the sense of completeness and finality in it. Before Christ, there was no other; and after him there is no other.  The Christians in the Roman empire had hundreds of false pagan gods they could choose to worship but Jesus was “the Amen” .

“The faithful and true witness”
The faithfulness of Christ is affirmed in this.  Jesus Christ had no need of faith in the sense of its use today; but “as a man” he walked in faith, implicitly trusting and obeying all that the Father willed of Him.   All human justification hinges on the perfect faith and perfect obedience of Christ.  Were it not for the perfect faithfulness of Christ, mankind would have no hope. 

“The beginning of the creation of God”
Some religious groups today try and use this scripture to teach that God created Jesus.  This flies in the face of a host of other scripture that affirms the deity and eternal nature of Jesus Christ such as John 1:1-14.  Scripture also reveals, “For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).  The correct understanding of this verse is Christ as the Source of all the things God created.   The church in Laodicea would be very familiar with Paul’s letter to the Colossians because they were instructed to read it aloud in their assemblies (Colossians 4:16).

Revelation 3:15
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”
Jesus told all seven of the churches that He knew their works.  He knew what they were doing, He knew what they were not doing.  Once again we are faced with the fact that it was the works of these churches that determined whether Jesus found them acceptable or not.  The application for us today is that Saved by grace through faith does not mean saved without obedience to the will of God.  The words of Jesus ring loud and clear:  “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).

The Laodiceans were lukewarm in their service to God.  They were indifferent and uncaring.  They were unconcerned about the things of the Kingdom.  They had all they thought they needed.  There was no passion, there was no driving force for them, There was no fire left, they no longer cared.  The Christians at Ephesus were condemned for losing their first love.  The Christians at Laodicea had lost it all. 

The church is depicted in scripture as the bride of Christ.  What groom wants a wife that is non-committal and uncaring?  Husbands are commanded to love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Ephesians 5:25).  But what about the wife who gives nothing back, who won’t love her husband enough to do anything?  A woman that is on fire and zealous for her husband is eager to serve and vice-versa.  Similarly those of Christ’s bride in the church who show up on Sundays, set in the back, never ask questions, never participate in church activities, never involve themselves with anything, never help with the services or help out in congregational activities are like the spouse who never does anything.  They are just along for the ride with no thought whatsoever of putting anything of their own into the relationship.  Such an attitude is sickening to say the least.  How does one deal with such a non-committal attitude?  How does Jesus feel about it?

Revelation 3:16
So because thou art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
To Jesus, the Christians in Laodicea had come to stand for the most disgusting thing on earth, a fat, lazy, uncaring and complacent church, basking in their own presumed achievements, but wholly unacceptable to the Lord.  The Christians at Laodicea were accused of being lukewarm, like the water they drank.  The Greek word for “spew” literally means to vomit, so Jesus was telling the Laodiceans they made Him sick. 

In Laodicea, potable water had to be transported to the city by aqueduct and raised to a tall water-distribution tower by siphon action. In fact, the city’s major weakness was its lack of an adequate and convenient source for water, its location having been determined by the road system rather than natural resources. As a result, water had to be brought in by this aqueduct from about 6 miles away.  By the time the water reached the city, it was usually neither hot nor cold, rather it was the temperature of the surrounding environment. 

The local water in Laodicea flowed down the river from the hot springs at Heirapolis where it was used for healing baths. The water, however, was rough with alum and sulphur which made it unfit for drinking. Drinking this water would make one sick if he tried. The city’s potable water, having flowed six miles through an aqueduct, arrived tepid.

The Laodiceans well knew what it was like to drink lukewarm water and what it was like to become sick and vomit from drinking the local water.  Jesus purposefully used words that would positively identify those to whom He was addressing as the direct recipients of His teachings.  In other words, this was Jesus’ way of saying, “make no mistake about this, I’m talking to you“.  The Christians at Laodicea or any of the other churches could not set back and say Jesus was not specifically talking to them.  There was just too much of their history and circumstances pointed out in His words to make any mistake about it.  All that was left for them to do was to look at each other, acknowledge to themselves that they had been found out and were not getting away with anything and make whatever necessary changes Jesus commanded.  There was no way any of them could stand before God and make the claim they didn’t know Jesus was really talking to them.  Jesus told them they made Him sick and they knew it was them He was talking to. 

The application for us today is that even though Jesus pinpointed the Laodiceans specifically for this rebuke, His feelings toward any church guilty of being lukewarm would make Him sick.  Let’s all examine ourselves and be sure that our service does not make Jesus want to vomit us up.

Revelation 3:17
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked:”
Laodicea was a wealthy city.  The fertile ground of the Lycus valley made good grazing for sheep.  The Laodiceans had selectively bred sheep that produced black wool which was in high demand and brought fame to the region.  Carpets and clothing was manufactured from the black wool and brought extensive wealth to the city. 

Agricultural and commercial prosperity brought in the banking industry. Laodicea was well-known for its banks, minting its own coinage from the second century BC on. The city was so famous for its banking industry that even the Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero went there to exchange money. The city was so wealthy that after the devastating earthquake of ad 60 which caused its near-total destruction, it was able to rebuild itself while proudly refusing any help from Rome, which other similarly afflicted cities had been glad to accept. It was, in fact, one of the most prosperous of all the Asiatic cities.

Laodicea prided itself on its financial wealth.  As mentioned earlier when an earthquake devastated their city, they refused Roman help saying they did not need it.  By human standards, Laodicea was wealthy, but under the scrutiny of Jesus, they were not.  They lacked the riches that count in His eyes. 

Laodicea was well known for its medicinal concoctions, one in particular which was a supposed remedy for weak eyes.  Yet Jesus said they were blind and could not see themselves for what they really were.

Laodicea prided itself on it’s clothing manufacture and trade industry which flourished as a result of the black wool developed in their area.  Yet Jesus says with all the fine and luxurious clothing at their disposal, they were in fact naked.

As so often before, we see the history of the area surrounding the church pictured in the words of Jesus.  In this manner, Jesus is able to make the point that “this means you”.  The Laodiceans would read these words and instantly associate them with their own conditions.  This is a real slap in the face to them; a wake up call directed specifically at them and they well knew it. 

Revelation 3:18
“I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and (that) the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.”
The Laodiceans had lots of material Gold but Jesus advised them to seek the gold that would make them rich. Jesus taught elsewhere, “For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? For what should a man give in exchange for his life?” (Mark 8:36-37).  The material wealth of the Laodiceans was worthless.  It could not buy them what they really needed.  Gold represents something valuable and Jesus had the gold that is pure and valuable and was available for them to purchase.  James spoke of corrupt riches of man being rusted in chapter 5.  The most valuable Gold is refined through a process of fire.  The goldsmith heats the metal up until it is molten and the impurities in it are then separated leaving only the pure gold.   

The Hebrew writer wrote of the suffering of Jesus which made him the author of salvation to all who obey him (Hebrews 5:8-9).  Jesus is the “way, and the truth, and the life” and no one can come to the Father but by him (John 14:6).  The thing of value that Jesus has is the way, and the truth and life.  And it was tried by the fire of his suffering on the cross.  Jesus overcame everything just as he mentioned in verse 21 of this letter to the Laodiceans.  So how does one buy from Jesus, the valuable gold, the way, the truth and the life?  Jesus tells us:

“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed”  (John 6:27).  Paying close attention to the words “which the Son of man shall give unto you” we note that Jesus is going to give us something he told us to labor for.  Everlasting life cannot be purchased by earthly riches or by the works of men.  Nor can it be purchased with works of righteousness either.  In order to pay for eternal life, we would have to be able to make the death of Jesus unnecessary and give Him back His life sacrificed on the cross.  There is no way mankind can repay that debt.  In the end, even though we should live a life of obedient service to Jesus, we are to consider ourselves unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10).  The Christian life faithfully lived is a life of self sacrificed service to the will of God (Romans 12:1).  And in so doing we have labored for the gold tried by fire, the real gold, the valuable gold.  And in the end, even though we can never hope to fully pay for it, God will give it us anyway.  That is called “grace“.

“and white garments”
The Laodiceans were famous for their production of black garments.  White symbolized purity in the minds of the first readers.  The garments they were told to purchase from Jesus were white which symbolized purity.

“that thou mayest clothe thyself, and (that) the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest”
In the Old Testament, God told Nahum to tell the disobedient people, “I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame” (Nahum 3:5).  Their disobedience made them naked and worthy of shame.  The Laodiceans were likewise guilty of the same and Jesus told them to cloth themselves with obedience so that their shame would not be made visible to the world.  

“and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see”
As mentioned earlier Laodicea was famed for its production of an eye salve for relief of swollen weary eyes due to traveling many miles.  The sand and dirt from the roads would irritate the eyes of travelers and they could find relief from the eye salve of Laodicea.  Jesus is telling them to use some of their own medicine so they can see their own condition and do something about it.

This is another one of those “I’m talking to you” statements that Jesus so frequently makes in these letters to the various churches.  There was no doubt in the minds of the Laodicean Christians that Jesus knew all about them.  Nothing was hidden from His view.  Jesus knew all about the other conditions surrounding them.  None of those Christians could claim that Jesus was just out of touch of their situations.  They knew perfectly well that Jesus knew exactly what He was saying and to whom He was addressing. 

The application for us today is that Jesus is as familiar with our life of service and the goings on around us as he was with them.  Nothing we do or fail to do escapes His notice.  There is praise and honor for the obedient and criticism and chastisement for the disobedient. 

Revelation 3:19
“As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
Being told by the Son of God that they made him sick had to be devastating and disheartening to them.  How many of us who discipline our children assure them afterwards that it is because we love them that they are disciplined?  We do this so that they will not be crushed and left without hope.  We do this so that they will know and be reassured that it is for their own good that they have been corrected and that they are still loved.  Parents do not chasten children because they enjoy it.  Young children cannot recognize the dangers around them in everyday life.  It is vital that they are obedient to their parents so that they will stay out of danger as they grow up.   For instance, parents teach their children not to play with fire.   Obedient children will avoid a lot of pain and suffering while disobedient children may go ahead and play with fire and bring disaster upon themselves.  Parents know and recognize the danger of fire and though the children may not, if they are obedient, they will not be harmed by something they do not recognize as a danger. 

Playing with fire often times looks like fun to a child, but they cannot fully appreciate the danger it holds for them.  Parents do not forbid children playing with fire because they don’t want them to have fun.  They forbid it because they know what it can do to their children. 

God does not deny us things that are sinful because he does not want us to live enjoyable lives.  God sees sin for what it really is.  Like the fire to the children, sin sometimes looks like fun.  We cannot always perceive the danger in light of the temptation.  But God knows that sin is enslaving and ugly and that it ultimately leads to pain and suffering.  God loves us and He knows what it will do to us and He wants us to avoid it so that we can live long and happy lives. 

So, after having corrected the Laodiceans harshly, He then reassures them that they were chastened because He loves them.  And they are then given the remedy.  They need to be zealous.  This is exactly what a lukewarm Christian is not.  They have to repent, stop being lukewarm and start being zealous of good works as commanded in Titus 2:14. 

The teachers of salvation by faith only need to take a long and prayerful look at the church at Laodicea who made Jesus sick because of her lack of works. 

Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
Jesus is standing at the door of opportunity for all mankind.  The Greek word for “hear” is “akouo” which carries the meaning of listening or giving attention to.   Calvinist doctrine teaches the predestination of the elect.  They teach that God in His sovereign authority chose before time began who would be saved and who would be lost.  Jesus says here that He will come in and sup with “any man” who listens and opens the door.  “I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” means he will be in fellowship with whoever may listen and open the door.  Fellowship with God and with Jesus is taught by John in 1:3, “that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”  Those who are “in Christ” and living faithfully are in fellowship with God and His Son, and Jesus says this spiritual blessing is available to all. 

Of significance here is that Jesus is standing outside the door to the church at Laodicea wanting in.   Jesus stands knocking at the door of opportunity from the outside but we have to open it from inside.  Opening the door is a figurative term for doing those things necessary in order to bring oneself into a state of fellowship with Jesus Christ.  Opening the door is our responsibility and it is up to us to learn what steps must be taken to open that door. 

Revelation 3:21
“He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.”
Truly the Revelation was written to the overcomers.  Those who would be faithful and zealous to the end.  Jesus said “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give the a crown of life“.  How do we today receive the crown of life from Jesus?  By being faithful unto death and overcoming all obstacles in our paths.  Every single one of the churches were told to overcome, every single church was told to be faithful or to remain faithful, to stand fast, to persevere, to repent if necessary.  The reward for submissive obedience is an eternal inheritance in heaven with God.  The reward for rebellious disobedience is an eternal separation from God in the torments of Hell.  

Jesus came to earth as a man and overcame everything.  He lived a sinless life even during His torture and crucifixion.  If Jesus had of ever sinned, He could not have served as our perfect sacrifice.  Only the sacrifice of a perfect, spotless, sinless individual could do what needed to be done.  Jesus endured the world to the end, even while on the cruel cross of Calvary.  We would do well to pause and consider just what was hanging in the balance for all mankind while Jesus bled out His life on that cross.  Scourged and staked naked to a wooden cross, spat on, reviled and hated by His own creation.  He endured that shame and agony without a single sin and secured the hope of eternal life for the very people who killed Him and for us today.  The eternal fate of all mankind hung on whether Jesus overcame or not.  He overcame His cross and now we are called to do the same, whatever that cross may be.

Revelation 3:22
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”
Any who will listen better heed what Jesus, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by the hand of John, said to the churches.  We notice that Jesus expressly used the plural form of the word church.  All the things He said were applicable to all the churches He addressed.  One Spirit; one message; many churches.  The exhortation to the Laodiceans to be zealous does not apply just to the Laodiceans.  It applies to the all the rest as well.  The praises and condemnations given out by Jesus to each individual church were applicable to all of them.  The application for us today is that they were likewise applicable to us. 

Let us heed what the Spirit said to all the churches of Asia and realize that it has relevant applications to all the congregations of the Lord’s church today.

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