New Heaven and Earth.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 21:1-2

Of all the grand descriptions in the book of Revelation, this vision of what will be our ultimate eternal destiny is most compelling. God is remaking the universe. He is doing something both new and the same. There is a heaven. There is an earth. And this time the physical planet will also be His physical dwelling place in a place of His design: The New Jerusalem. It is called a “holy city” that is “from God” and “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”.

We know that this will be such a remarkable place that it will be uniquely associated with God’s people. The New Jerusalem is called “the wife of the Lamb” in Revelation 21:9. Then the rest of the chapter goes into detail on its measurements and glorious construction. Somehow this beautiful final city is also the unique abode of all believers. It is where my heart will find its final home. That is why it is a holy city. It is the dwelling place of God and it is the dwelling place of His holy people. One cannot help but wonder if that was what God hoped for in the Garden of Eden all along. That at some point He would work with Adam and Eve and their descendants in the construction of just such a place.

The origin of the New Jerusalem is “from God”. It comes to the earth from heaven. Jesus Himself promised to “go and prepare a place” for us and come and bring us to Himself. That will find its complete fulfillment in the arrival of the New Jerusalem. And I think He is already preparing that place for us even now.

And the city is festive. It is prepared for a wedding of the Lamb to His Bride. It will be the place where we will share our lives forever with Jesus. And it will be a place of joy, intimacy, shared life, and joy and fulfillment that we can only now barely comprehend in our redeemed fallen natures. But when we are as a race fully holy, this experience will be more thrilling than we can ever imagine. My heart quickens just a little thinking about it now. It is what my deepest hopes want to see.

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Heaven,Eternity

Why I am Premillennial

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:6

Six times in the first seven verses of Revelation 20 the phrase “thousand years” is mentioned. I firmly believe this means something, and there is no reason not to see it as a literal time span. But in all fairness, there are competing interpretive views that are within the pail of evangelical orthodoxy. The ESV study Bible provides a succinct summary:

“These verses are among the most controversial in Revelation. Responsible scholars disagree regarding the meaning of the “thousand years” in vv. 2–7 (see Introduction: Millennial Views). The three main views are represented by: (1) Premillennialists (those who believe Christ will return “pre” [before] the millennium) think that this thousand years (Latin, millennium) is a future time of great peace and justice, which is usually thought to be a literal 1,000-year period that will begin when Christ returns to reign on earth as a physically present King, and which will include resurrected believers reigning with him. (2) Postmillennialists (those who believe that Christ will return “post” [after] the millennial period) think that before Christ returns to earth the gospel will spread and triumph so powerfully that societies will be transformed and peace and justice will reign on earth for a thousand years (or for a long period of time), after which Christ will return for the final judgment. (3) Amillennialists (those who hold an “a” [non-literal] millennial view) think this thousand years is the same period as this present church age, and that there will be no future “millennium” before Christ returns for the final judgment. Related to this is the question of whether the thousand years are to be interpreted literally (most premillennialists hold this view) or symbolically (most postmillennialists and amillennialists and some premillennialists hold this view). Those holding each view read John's millennial vision in terms of their understanding of other biblical texts and their approach to prophetic literature as a whole. Likewise, each of these views falls within the framework of historic Christian orthodoxy.”

It would seem to me that both amillennial and poststmillennial viewpoints must as a rule at some point interrupt a literal, plain interpretation of scripture in order to arrive at their destinations theologically. In my opinion, premillennialism maintains the most consistent hermeneutic. It is not without its questions and rough spots, but it is most consistent with plain interpretation. I also believe it has the benefit of being the easiest view to integrate Old Testament prophecy into the picture of the Book of Revelation. At times, it is virtually seamless, particularly with the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. These two facts (hermeneutic and biblical prophetic harmony) are why I am still a committed premillennialist. My committed reformed friends have yet to provide convincing theology to the contrary.

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Millennium,Premillennialism

The real hallelujah chorus…

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.”

Revelation 19:6

This loud rejoicing comes in heaven as two things occur. First Jesus and His saints prepare to wipe out the beast and false prophet at the final battle of Armageddon. All opposition is defeated by the word of Jesus’ mouth. And justice is finally met against all the evil that has arisen against Christ at the end. That is cause for rejoicing and praise.

The second event is the preparation for the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is there that Jesus and His church experience the joy and the celebration of the church’s redemption and Christ’s final possession of the church. And it is a feast… a party like none other. This brings on the songs of praise from the vast multitude in heaven as they anticipate this great event.

So praise can be offered both in judgment and in joy. We can rejoice that God is just and the giver of our mercies. We can worship the God Who is simultaneously our Great Lover and the Fearsome Judge of all who reject Him. He deserves this type of praise.

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Worship,Justice,Church

Reason for God to act.

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth.

Revelation 18:24

Just a simple observation from this text today. When God does finally move against the Babylon in Revelation, it is because she has opposed Him to the point of killing His messengers and His people. He executes profound judgment because His justice must deal with profound sins: rejection, raging against God and His work, and the responsibility for the deaths of most of those on the planet who have died to this point in the book of Revelation. God can easily handle His own opposition. He does not need anyone else to serve justice for Him.

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Judgment,Justice

Who Jesus is; who we are.

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

Revelation 17:14

There is no doubt, for one moment, in the book of Revelation that the powers that array themselves against Christ will succeed. They will try. They will use all the earthly power at their disposal to rebel against God and persecute His people. And they will fail because Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings. No one can thwart His plans or disobey His authority successfully. Jesus is in control.

And those with Him are uniquely His. They are called by Him. They have responded to that call. And in that response they realize that all along they were chosen in Him: the people of God by His design and purpose. And they are faithful to Him. They obey and submit to the King of kings and Lord of lords and find themselves on the victory side of the war against the Lamb.

So these very simple descriptions have profound meaning. I see Jesus for Who He is and I realize that nothing in this present world will destroy Him or His work. I see who I am as one of His faithful called and chosen ones. And I know that serving Him and obeying His command in the fray will be rewarded with sure victory over those who would rebel against God.

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Jesus,Victory

Do not think that Tiller's Murder was justice!

Vigilantes DO NOT administer justice. A murder of a murderer is murder. The state is the God-given authority on that matter. Democracies and Tyrannies alike. And don't give me the lines about "would you kill Hitler if you had the chance"? or that war is somehow murder. Wars are waged by governments who have the authority to bear the sword against what is wrong... Read Romans 13:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ro 13:1-4.

Paul wrote this when Nero was burning Christians as torches to light his garden. Deal with the tension, believer. Governments do not always have biblically moral policies. And in a perfect world, our government should outlaw the brutal murder of unborn children. But it does not. And had it acted on late-term abortion provider George Tiller, it would have indeed been justice. But one angry anti-government madman is not justice. It is further injustice. It hurts the peaceful and prayerful pro-life cause more than we can imagine.

Christians, let's make sure we understand justice. Only Jesus will dispense it in eternity (Read Acts 17:30-31). And it is an imperfect and rare commodity until then. When we understand that only God gives justice, we do well. When we think that humans will always do it, we make a HUGE MISTAKE. Fallen humanity cannot really understand justice. Even the best judge is born a wicked sinner who rages against God. Even a Christian involved in the legal system or law enforcement still struggles with a selfish human nature. Let's understand that. And don't let ourselves think that justice was somehow served. It wasn't...

Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Pr 28:5.

True & Just

And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!"
And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!"

Revelation 16:5-7

This song of worship comes as a direct response to God’s retributive judgment on those who have rejected and rebelled against Him. It praises God for His justice. The praise follows a simple line of thinking. God is just because He brought the judgments. He acts in judgment and that alone is cause for Him being seen as just. Secondly. God acts in such a way that those who are judged are judged in a deserving manner. There is an irony in the judgment that turns the water to blood, since the beast and his followers have led a bloody persecution against God’s people. The punishment fits the crime, and that is just.

Thirdly, God is just because He is the Almighty. God has all power at His disposal to dispense His justice. He is remarkably restrained when one considers that fact! He could just obliterate the world of humanity at any time, but does not do so. And the final observation about His justice is that He is true. He does not cause further sinful behavior, neither are His judgments subject to debate about their moral equity. He is true and so are His actions.

Lord,

I do not pause to consider these truths enough, because like most Christians, I tend to associate judgment with rage or anger. But Your justice is fundamental to Your very person and nature, as the angels sing of in this passage. May I be equally impressed and worship You Who are just and true.

Amen

Technorati Tags: Revelation,Justice,Truth,Judgment