THE BOOK OF REVELATION

INTRODUCTION - Christ has broken the seven seals on the scroll of the New Covenant, and with the breaking of the seventh, a whole new set of actions begin in the book of Revelation. In Revelation 8:1-6, we saw the prelude to the coming judgment of first century Israel. There is silence in heaven as God comes forth and the saints anticipate His judgment. An angel offers up a censer filled with the incense of the prayers of the saints and Christ's intercession. Then fire is thrown to the earth and the judgment of Israel begins. Once again, in order for us to understand the coming images of Revelation, we are not to revert to some modern understanding of the text. Revelation is not talking about tanks, atomic bombs, and computer chips. It is a first century book, speaking about a first century judgment. With the next images that appear in the book, we must return to the Old Testament in order to understand its meaning. Since we are dealing with the judgment of Israel in this book, we should ask ourselves: What did God say He would do if Israel fell into apostasy? It is here that Deuteronomy 28 becomes extremely important to us, for here we are given the foundation for the judgments we are seeing being poured out in Revelation. Deuteronomy 28 is a two-sided chapter, the first part (verses 1-14) dealing with the blessings of God upon Israel if they kept His covenant. Yet it is the second part of the chapter which concerns us (verses 15-68), for here we are given in great detail a description of the judgment of God against a covenant-breaking Israel. After reading this part of the Old Testament, you will think you have just read a description of Josephus' first century history of the fall of Jerusalem!

1) GOD'S COVENANTAL CURSE UPON ISRAEL IF THEY FORSOOK HIM - Deuteronomy 28:15-68 - First century Israel was cursed and judged by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 23:37,38). Since they had broken the covenant of God, rejecting the Messiah and salvation in Christ, then they would also reap the curses of that broken covenant which were written down hundreds of years ago in Deuteronomy 28. Moses tells the people in Deuteronomy 28 that if they follow the Lord, they can expect the rich covenantal blessings of God. They shall be a prosperous people, protected by the Lord. Yet if they forsook the Lord, and rejected the God who had saved them, they would reap incredible curses upon themselves. Deuteronomy 28 describes these curses in careful detail just so Israel would not miss the fact that these afflictions came from the hand of God. What would happen to Israel if she abandoned the Lord? God would send famine upon the land (verses 15-17), followed by pestilence and disease (verses 18-21). With the disease shall come the plague of war, as nations would rise against Israel and take her into captivity (verses 22-25). The passage also mentions in two places that all the plagues which were sent to Egypt would come back upon Israel (verses 27,60). Oppression shall come through the war and the sons and daughters of Israel will be taken into captivity (verses 26-32). Pagan nations will come against her and Israel will be overthrown (verses 33-39). Famine is again mentioned, consuming the people, as war brings them into captivity (verses 40-55). During the time of war, they will revert to cannibalism, because the famine will become so great, and terror will grip them in all of this confusion (verses 57-68).

As we study the history of Israel, we note that there are several times in the Old Testament where they forsake the Lord and these judgments fall upon them. The Babylonian captivity is perhaps the greatest illustration of this. Yet even with this captivity, there was always the promise of returning to the land. When we come to first century Israel, their sin is far greater than anything before this (Matthew 23). They have actually rejected the Messiah, which will result in God, once and for all, turning away from Jerusalem and the Temple. The Church would become the New Jerusalem, the new Temple. Thus, we shall see in Revelation, the whole point of the judgments come from Israel's breaking of God's covenant. The early church would understand the judgments of Revelation in this way, for they were expecting this great judgment to fall upon apostate Israel. God had said it would happen this way in Deuteronomy 28, and the Christians of the first century could expect that such a judgment would be carried out on first century Israel. Thus, the seven angels prepare to sound, in order to bring down Jerusalem, like the seven priests blowing their trumpets around Jericho of old, only now, it is the city of God being destroyed.

2) THE FIRST TRUMPET - HAIL AND FIRE, MINGLED WITH BLOOD - Revelation 8:7

A) UNDERSTANDING THE WORD WHICH IS TRANSLATED "EARTH" - This is not a worldwide devastation being described in this verse. It is particularly concentrated on the land of Israel. The word "earth" might confuse us here, for it seems to imply a worldwide destruction. Yet the word is not always translated "earth" and on many occasions it actually refers to "land" (Matthew 2:6), the land of Israel. Thus, the hail and fire is thrown "to the land", the land which is being judged - Israel.

B) REVELATION 8:7 DESCRIBES ONE OF THE PLAGUES AGAINST EGYPT - The plague is describing the destruction of vegetation which will naturally result in famine and disease. Famine is one of the Deuteronomy 28 judgments against apostate Israel, yet it is interesting that it is caused by hail and fire. This is the seventh plague of Egypt (Exodus 9:22-25), the plagues which God said would come back upon apostate Israel. Did hail and fire literally come from heaven in the first century? No, but the Roman desecration of Palestine, according to Josephus, turned the land into a wilderness. Here was one of the covenantal curses falling upon first century Israel.

3) THE SECOND TRUMPET - A MOUNTAIN THROWN INTO THE SEA - Revelation 8:8,9

A) REVELATION 8:8,9 DESCRIBES ANOTHER PLAGUE AGAINST EGYPT - The first plague of Egypt was the water turned into blood and the fish of the river dying (Exodus 7:17-21). Now, here in Revelation 8, the same plague is turned against Israel. It again is not literally carried out, but describes the devastation which Israel received at the hands of the Roman conquerors. It led to famine, disease, destruction, and great bloodshed.

B) THE BURNING MOUNTAIN THROWN INTO THE SEA - How are we to understand this picture? How does the Old Testament help us interpret the meaning of this burning mountain?

1. Jerusalem Is Constantly Referred to as a Mountain in the Old Testament - Mount Zion is the location of God's city, Jerusalem. If we applied this figure to Revelation 8, we can see God taking Jerusalem in judgment, like a burning mountain, and casting it into the sea. Yet there are further Old Testament pictures which will also add to our understanding.

2. A Burning Mountain Is also a Picture of the Presence of God - Mount Sinai is certainly the best place to see this (Exodus 19:18,19). Sinai was a mountain on fire as the Lord descended with a trumpet blast. It is on fire because God has approached it. We also read in other places that when God comes forth in vengeance, the mountains begin to smoke and burn with His approach (Psalm 144:5).

3) The Judgment of Babylon is Described as a Burning Mountain - As we go further into Revelation, we shall see that first century Jerusalem is called "Babylon". In Jeremiah 51:25, God judges Babylon by calling her a mountain on fire, a mountain moved out of its place by God. Later, in verse 42, Babylon is covered by the waters of the sea.

Surely we could take all of these pictures together and apply them to Revelation 8:8,9. Jerusalem is a mountain, burning with fire as God approaches in vengeance. The trumpet announces the approach of His wrath. Jerusalem, the former holy mountain, is taken like Babylon of old, set on fire and the ocean covers it. The waters are turned into blood, which is a repetition of the first plague against Egypt. So, as we shall see in further studies, the covenantal curse of Deuteronomy 28 will come upon first century Israel in all of its force and fury.