Are We In The End Times?

Written by Dr Andrew Corbett, President of ICI Theological College Australia, and author of the popular commentary on the Book of Revelation- The Most Embarrassing Book In The Bible, April 26th 2013

Wars, earthquakes, floods, and famines have long been considered the traits of what many believe to be the Biblical description of the "end times". Added to this is what many understand to be the predictions of increased apostasy, the rise in persecution, the deterioration of society's morals, and the increased compromise and lukewarmness of the Church. And surely, if these are the characteristics of what the Bible describes as the last days, we must be in the last days, right? But are we? And if we are, so what? And if we aren't, then what? But are we in what the Bible describes as the 'end times'?

¶ But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty."
Second Timothy 3:1

WHAT ARE THE "END TIMES"?

The expression "end times" is used by Christians to describe a brief period immediately preceding the return of Christ to earth. The expression, however, does not actually occur in the Bible. Rather, expressions such as "the last days", "end of the age" are regarded as synonyms for "end times". The Bible presents a picture of our world as being subject to God's redemptive plan which climaxed in the coming to earth of the eternal Son of God as one of us and will culminate one day when He returns to judge the living and the dead (Rev. 20:12).

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
Second Peter 3:3

SIGNS OF THE "END TIMES"

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Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 24

Day 24

Revelation 17:1-18

[Rev. 17:1] ¶ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, [Rev. 17:2] with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.” [Rev. 17:3] So he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and there I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.  [Rev. 17:4] Now the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality.[Rev. 17:5] On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”  [Rev. 17:6] I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was greatly astounded when I saw her. [Rev. 17:7] But the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. [Rev. 17:8] The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss and then go to destruction. The inhabitants of the earth—all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world—will be astounded when they see that the beast was, and is not, but is to come. [Rev. 17:9] (This requires a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: [Rev. 17:10] five have fallen; one is, and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. [Rev. 17:11] The beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. [Rev. 17:12] The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings with the beast for one hour. [Rev. 17:13] These kings have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. [Rev. 17:14] They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.” [Rev. 17:15] ¶ Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. [Rev. 17:16] The ten horns that you saw, and the beast—these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. [Rev. 17:17] For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. [Rev. 17:18] As for the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

What is the worst sin? Outright rejection of God? Apparently not. Apparently it is unfaithfulness - that is, when those who have entered into a covenant with God are unfaithful to God by worshiping idols. When Covenant-People pretend to be faithful while committing idolatry, they were charged with “prostitution” (Isaiah 1:21; Jer. 2:20). Because marriage is a divine picture of being in covenant with God, marital unfaithfulness is considered the worst sexual sin. If you are married, treasure your spouse and do not take them for granted.

Scholars have noted that the Prostitute of Revelation 17 is dressed in the garb of High Priest with some notable differences. Where the Old Testament High Priest had “Holy unto the Lord” (Exo. 28:36-38) across the band of his turban, this character has “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”

John reveals that this character was committing (spiritual) prostitution with surrounding nations and in particular the nation that ruled the world whose kings were ruling them. And while the Great Prostitute had been waging a war against the Lamb and His servants, this foreign king would soon join in fighting against the Lamb and His Church. He would be the sixth in a line of kings. He would only carry out his war for 42 months which is half of 7 years. Perhaps, there is a message here for John’s original audience. Seven speaks of complete. Three and half, whether stated in days or months, or even as “a time, times and half a time”, may well indicate incomplete. If so, then John is revealing that the persecution they were facing their political masters would not wipe them out - it would be incomplete. 

This is why Revelation 17:14 must have been far more than a quaint wall plaque for these mid-first century believers! While the beleaguered Church would have to endure a relatively short time of persecution and tribulation from two fronts, one religious and one political, John reveals that these enemies would suddenly become enemies of each other with the political persecutor brutally winning out. But the consoling revelation in this passage is that the Lamb will ultimately win out. It should still console Christ-followers today.

Andrew Corbett

www.andrewcorbett.net

Identifying The 8th King In Revelation from leganamedia on GodTube.

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 22

Day 22

Revelation 14:6-20

[Rev. 14:6] ¶ Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. [Rev. 14:7] He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!” [Rev. 14:8] ¶ A second angel followed the first, declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.” [Rev. 14:9] ¶ A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, [Rev. 14:10] that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. [Rev. 14:11] And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.” [Rev. 14:12] This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.[Rev. 14:13] ¶ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’” ¶ “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”[Rev. 14:14] ¶ Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. [Rev. 14:15] Then another angel came out of the temple, shouting in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and start to reap, because the time to reap has come, since the earth’s harvest is ripe!” [Rev. 14:16] So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. [Rev. 14:17] ¶ Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. [Rev. 14:18] Another angel, who was in charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes off the vine of the earth, because its grapes are now ripe.” [Rev. 14:19] So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth and tossed them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. [Rev. 14:20] Then the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses’ bridles for a distance of almost two hundred miles.

Sometimes things have to get worse so they can better. In the midst of the eternal Gospel being proclaimed, a city described metaphorically as ‘Babylon’ has its true spiritual condition exposed. It prided itself as a ‘holy’ city (note how this great city is referred to Revelation 11:8). It was a city where much worship was transacted. But it is wrong worship for it focuses on the Beast introduced in Revelation 13:1. To participate in this idolatry, worshipers had to initially fool themselves that were actually worshiping the God of Abraham. They would wear the prescribed mark on their hands or between the “frontlets of their eyes” to look like they were worshiping the actual God of their ancestors.

John urged his original readers to endure and ‘keep’ the commandments of Christ (vs 12). Today, we need believers who can similarly endure. Following Christ is rarely a sprint and nearly always more akin to a marathon. It’s not the appearance of worship which constitutes worship - but the expression of actual surrender and devotion to God.

After the Old Covenant and its elements were done away with, those who died as faithful servants of God no longer went to the holding place of the dead but could now enjoy the blessing of entering fully into the Lord’s presence. Not only will those who die in the Lord enter in their rest, they will enter their eternal reward. Endurance in this life has eternal dividends! And who was more qualified to urge for Christian endurance than John? Today there seems to be too few who are qualified to urge fellow believers to endure. Perhaps one day you might be one? The journey to endurance starts where John started this section: Fear God, give Him glory!

Andrew Corbett

http://andrewcorbett.net/the-most-embarrassing-verse-in-the-bible/index.html

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 16

Day 16

Revelation 10:1-11

[Rev. 10:1] ¶ Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire. [Rev. 10:2] He held in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. [Rev. 10:3] Then he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices. [Rev. 10:4] When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but just then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” [Rev. 10:5] Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven [Rev. 10:6] and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! [Rev. 10:7] But in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, just as he has proclaimed to his servants the prophets.” [Rev. 10:8] Then the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak to me again, “Go and take the open scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”  [Rev. 10:9] So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”  [Rev. 10:10] So I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. [Rev. 10:11] Then they told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

“Peoples and nations and languages.” The Bible is not like other so-called Holy Books. It is designed to be translated into every language for every people and still make sense. But more than just make sense, it is a God-breathed book designed to be translated into any language. The wonder of God’s Word to mankind is that connects with all people of all languages over every period of time. Words are only a small part of language. The conveying of thoughts and ideas are also major roles of a language. This is done with word pictures (metaphors), humour (often using hyperbole), but especially the real stories of real people. And this is exactly how God  has comprised the Bible. 

I often think that reading the Bible is like peeling an onion. You become acquainted with the outer layer of its message (what it says) so that you can begin to discover some of the gems that can only be seen once you’ve gone to the trouble of getting familiar with the outer layers first.

As we read the Bible we will very soon read prophecies. This book of Revelation is almost cover-to-cover prophecies.This passage of Revelation reinforces the Bible’s emphatic claim that what the prophets had foretold about “the mystery of God” would soon be fulfilled. The Apostle Paul tells us that God’s plan to unite all people under one New Covenant was the unfolding mystery of God (Eph. 3:9). 

Reading Revelation 10:7, the original readers would have had good reason to draw tremendous confidence for remaining steadfast in their faith in Christ and that Christ would fulfil His Word through His prophets to establish a New Covenant people, the Church. 

The Bible’s claim to be inspired by God stands or falls on whether its prophecies, which include clear time-frame references, have been fulfilled within their forecasted time-frames. I am convinced that they have and this gives me great confidence to trust the rest of Scripture as the inspired, inerrant Word of God. No matter what your nationality or language, I hope that you too find increased confidence in the Bible as God’s inspired Word for you.

Andrew Corbett

www.andrewcorbett.net

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 11

Day 11

Revelation 4:1-5:14

[Rev. 4:1] ¶ After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” [Rev. 4:2] Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! [Rev. 4:3] And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. [Rev. 4:4] In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. [Rev. 4:5] From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne [Rev. 4:6] and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. ¶ In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. [Rev. 4:7] The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. [Rev. 4:8] Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-powerful, Who was and who is, and who is still to come!” [Rev. 4:9] ¶ And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, [Rev. 4:10] the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying: [Rev. 4:11] “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!” [Rev. 5:1] ¶ Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals. [Rev. 5:2] And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” [Rev. 5:3] But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. [Rev. 5:4] So I began weeping bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. [Rev. 5:5] Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”  [Rev. 5:6] ¶ Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. [Rev. 5:7] Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne, [Rev. 5:8] and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). [Rev. 5:9] They were singing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation. [Rev. 5:10] You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” [Rev. 5:11] ¶ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand–thousands times thousands– [Rev. 5:12] all of whom were singing in a loud voice: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!” [Rev. 5:13] ¶ Then I heard every creature—in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them—singing: “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!” [Rev. 5:14] ¶ And the four living creatures were saying “Amen,” and the elders threw themselves to the ground and worshiped.

Stand on any street and look up and point, and pretty soon others will join you in your gaze. After John has delivered these messages to each of the 7 churches, he turns his gaze upward and looks not just to heaven - but into heaven.

At a time when it looked very likely that the Church would be wiped out by the might of Rome, John is shown a glimpse of why this was never going to happen. He sees the centre of the Universe. But more than this, he sees the One who controls the Universe because the Universe is His. And He has ordained that the conquest of evil within the Universe be staged on a tiny blue planet: Earth. To this planet He sent His Son like a lamb to the slaughter to meet evil head-on and conquer it through the greatest act of humiliation the Universe had ever witnessed. But the result of this divine judgment upon evil would be the unchallenged and universally acknowledged declaration that Christ was Lord. He is the only One worthy to open the Scrolls of Judgment. He has conquered evil, sin and death. Emperors may rant. Kings may posture. Dictators may decree. But they will all bow before the all conquering Christ. And if this be so, His mission on earth entrusted to His Church will succeed!

This is the pinnacle of revelation about God. He is seated on the Throne. He is not standing. He is not pacing. He is regally seated. Around Him is the Holy Spirit depicted as seven flames. Before them is a sea as smooth as glass speaking of the infinite peace that surrounds Him. There are magnificent angels guarding, worshiping, leading all heaven in nourishing adoration when suddenly a cry is heard, “Who is worthy?” Jesus, depicted as a slain lamb, enters. The question is now settled. For John, his original readers, for us, and for generations of believers to come, this settled question is answered by our worship of the One who reigns.

Whatever has illegitimately captivated your attention away from this scene demands immediate inattention. That Christ is Lord is not merely comforting when it is obvious, it is especially so when it is not. Perhaps like these original readers, we too need to be reminded that Jesus Christ is Lord over the Universe, our planet, our country, our church, our enemies, and our lives.

Andrew Corbett

http://www.andrewcorbett.net

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 9

Day 9

Revelation 3:7-13

[Rev. 3:7] ¶ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ¶ “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open:  [Rev. 3:8] ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) I know that you have little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. [Rev. 3:9] Listen! I am going to make those people from the synagogue of Satan—who say they are Jews yet are not, but are lying—Look, I will make them come and bow down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.  [Rev. 3:10] Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.  [Rev. 3:11] I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown. [Rev. 3:12] The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never depart from it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God), and my new name as well. [Rev. 3:13] The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Philadelphia means brotherly love. This is the only church not rebuked by Jesus. It seems there is something about this church which is close to the heart of Christ. He relates to this church by identifying Himself to them as the one “who has the key of David”. It was David who won the hearts of those around him. David, more than any other Old Testament figure, understood brotherly love. His loyalty to those around him was famous. He taught his son Solomon that ‘he who wins souls is wise’ (Prov. 11:30). This was David’s Key. It opened doors for him. 

In life generally being nice to others and treating them like ‘brothers’ will open doors for you. The adage goes, “It’s not what you know - but who you know that counts.” Christ commends the Philadelphian church for their care and kindness toward each other. And if kindness and care is to be found anywhere, it should at least be found in a church. 

Yet, even warm and kind people are subject to attacks from others. The Philadelphians were. We too should not be surprised that we will attract the rancour of people who despise Christ and His claims to be Lord over their time, bodies, and treasure. There will be times when we too will have to patiently endure in our devotion to Christ and brotherly love for each other (Rev. 3:10). But it will be worth it for there is a crown awaiting us that we will wear in the Temple of God where we will experience the fullness of God's all-satisfying love. 

Are you being a brother to others? Are there those in your church who you have not been caring or kind towards? Are you experiencing mocking or ridicule from those who despise your commitment to the Jesus of the Bible? Hear what the Spirit is saying to you today and make a commitment to be like the Philadelphian believers whom Christ commended.

 Andrew Corbett

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 7

Day 7

Revelation 2:18-29

 [Rev. 2:18] ¶ “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: ¶ “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished bronze: [Rev. 2:19] ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones. [Rev. 2:20] But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. [Rev. 2:21] I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. [Rev. 2:22] Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds. [Rev. 2:23] Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve. [Rev. 2:24] But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. [Rev. 2:25] However, hold on to what you have until I come. [Rev. 2:26] And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations– [Rev. 2:27] he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, [Rev. 2:28] ¶ just as I have received the right to rule from my Father—and I will give him the morning star. [Rev. 2:29] The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

It’s not the usual picture of “Jesus meek and mild” that we now find speaking to the Thyatirans. This Jesus has eyes of fire. This Jesus may surprise you. The following introductions with this mostly unfamiliar Jesus may be awkward because we live in an age where culture celebrates their sexual ‘freedoms’ and objects to anyone who dares call them “immoral”. But this is what Jesus did in addressing this church. 

Here we find Jesus warning. Most warnings announce dire consequences. And these divine warnings are no different. But what might stun most modern readers is the nature of what has enraged Christ. For the most part, Materialism has conquered Western culture. Materialism says that we are just molecules and atoms - “We’re meat from the top down!” they assert. But Jesus says otherwise. Materialists regard sexual activity only as a physical activity. But Jesus says otherwise. Of course you don’t have to be a Materialist to be immoral. Some of these Thyatirans had somehow managed to merge their Christianity with sexual promiscuity - and now Christ was warning them. 

To be a follow of Christ today is no less challenging than it was for those of Thyatira. We too have much to conquer. But we too are offered the prize of receiving the Morning Star (an allusion to the glory awaiting the faithful in the Resurrection). We would do well not to trifle with Christ’s warnings to be holy and especially when it comes to morality.

Andrew Corbett

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 5

Day 5

Revelation 2:8-11

[Rev. 2:8] ¶ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: ¶ “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but came to life: [Rev. 2:9] ‘I know the distress you are suffering and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know the slander against you by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. [Rev. 2:10] Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. [Rev. 2:11] The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death.’

From and In. Two little words. Yet as different as Everest (a mountain in Nepal) is to the You-Yangs (a ‘mountain’ range near Lara). Christ promises to keep His followers in times of trouble not from. When troubles come, said Christ, to His disciples, not if troubles come, He would keep them in it. Keep, not abandon. Another little word which we today we only half use by employing it in reference to things we’ve stored away somewhere (but can’t find right now.) Whereas to keep means to hold and guard. Jude thought this was the most valuable thing he could pray for his readers - May the Lord keep you...

It is in this light that Christ tenderly speaks to the beleaguered Smyrnians. Their troubles had started. They felt poor because the rich didn’t have such troubles. Yet because they were depending on Christ, they were truly rich.

We sometimes confuse Christ’s promise to us to keep us as meaning He will keep us from troubles when we should thank Him for keeping us in the midst of our troubles. For the Smyrnians this required spiritual ears to understand just as it does for us today who all too readily confuse Christ's blessings as supplying how we want Him to bless us. Christ had called the Smyrnians to be victorious which He also calls us to as well. But there can be no victory, no overcoming, no conquering, unless we have battles, difficulties, troubles to deal with. And just in case the we lose focus on what this life has to offer compared to the possible glorious life to come, Christ reminds this embattled church that the prize for doing so would be eternal life. We were born to live forever so let's not be like Esau who sold his birthright for a piece of bread by selling out on our commitment to Christ in times of difficulty.

Andrew Corbett

Revelation Daily Devotional - Day 4

Day 4

Revelation 2:1-7

[Rev. 2:1] “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. [Rev. 2:2] ¶ “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. [Rev. 2:3] I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. [Rev. 2:4] But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. [Rev. 2:5] Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. [Rev. 2:6] Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. [Rev. 2:7] He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’

John is told to write to seven actual churches. The first one he writes to, Ephesus, is an old familiar friend to New Testament readers. We are introduced to its birth in Acts 19, we read of its maturing in Paul’s Epistle to them, and then track their progress in the letters to Timothy (who was pastoring them).

But sometimes the hardest thing for any church to do is to maintain a heartfelt passion for Christ and His Cause when they’ve been at it for a long time. The Ephesians church had “lost its first love” for Christ. One translation renders this indictment as Ephesus having “abandoned” their first love. They didn’t merely drift from their love for Christ - they intentionally stopped it.

How does a church intentionally cease loving Christ? Love for us in the 21st Century West is a positive feeling. But Biblically, love is something done. Love is shown more than it is felt. And love is shown before it is felt.

This is why Christ calls the Ephesians to return to their former “works” which they “did at first”.

How often do we lose sight of where we should be with Christ as believers but more importantly as a church?

How is your love for Christ? If I could observe your service within, and on behalf of, your local church I could answer that question without exchanging one word with you. Have you lost sight of where your heart should be with Christ? Has your heart been wounded by others within your church and caused you to pull away from serving Christ by serving others within your church? Do you need to overcome your coldness and conquer your growing laxness?

If these questions seem uncomfortable, imagine how the Ephesians felt receiving this letter from Christ via John. Perhaps we should never forget that repentance always takes humility and our  humility is one of the key measures of Christian maturity.

Andrew Corbett

Devoting Through Revelation

How The Book of Revelation Can Deepen our Devotion To God
Written by Dr Andrew Corbett, President of ICI Theological College Australia, and author of the popular commentary on the Book of Revelation- The Most Embarrassing Book In The Bible, August 1st 2012

Recently I completed a project for the Bible Society where I wrote a 30 Day Devotional on the Book of Revelation. (This project will be published daily online through October 2012.) If I was to write "Day 31" it would probably sound familiar to this...

"And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass."
Revelation 21:21

I have spent the past decade or so writing about the fascinating details of the Book of Revelation. In my eBook, I have given an explanation of the broad message of Revelation which has prompted thousands of readers around the world to write to me with expressions of gratitude. I have laboured the precise manner in which the prophecies within the Book have been fulfilled and why this gives us the confidence that the remaining prophecies will similarly be fulfilled just as precisely. But not until recently have turned my attention to treating the Book of Revelation as a source of deepening spiritual devotion to Christ.

My extreme hesitancy with embarking on this course has been spurred by my desire to ground my treatment of the Apocalypse in rigorous exegesis rather than merely dismissing it (in the way many do) and resort to reducing it merely to a Biblically disconnected allegory. Any Biblical devotional must be true to the intent of the Sacred writ. One of the errors of the Ante-Nicene Church was their tendency to allegorise the Scriptures rather than exegete the Scriptures. To allegorise a text is to give meaning to words and elements within a story that almost certainly was not intended by the author.

Many Biblical devotionals do not start with exegeting a text. This is sometimes justified with the fanciful notion that a Biblical passage can legitimately have multiple interpretations. But it is generally acknowledged in the field of Hermeneutics that one of the guiding principles is that the Bible has one intended meaning (which is the goal of interpretation) and multiple applications (which is the goal of devotionalism).

Of all the devotional commentators of the Bible, Matthew Henry is probably the most renowned. He wrote a devotional commentary on nearly every book of the Bible. What makes Matthew Henry's comments so valuable is that he had a better than average exegetical understanding of the text he was sharing his devotional thoughts on. The other value of his commentary is that it reveals how the Puritans approached the Text in the light of Papal apostasies. This is particularly apparent with his comments about the Book of Revelation. For example, his comments on Revelation 17 (which describes the "Harlot of Babylon") contains references to "Papal Rome" and "the Papacy". Matthew Henry the Exegete knew better than this, but Matthew Henry the Puritan Presbyterian Pastor was committed to the established idea that the Bible prophetically warned of the looming evils of the Papacy. (I explain in my eBook how Revelation 17 should be best interpretted exegetically.)

having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
Rev. 21:11

Thus, when I wrote my Devotional on the Book of Revelation, I was not attempting to say this means... but rather: from this text we... By starting with exegesis we have a greater likelihood of capturing the intended applicationof a text - and it strikes me that the Book of Revelation was intended to have some very obvious applications. This method of drawing out a devotional application from a Biblical text is precisely what Pastoral Preachers dedicate their pulpits to. Our job as pastors is not merely to inform (explain what the text says), it is also to illumine (bring to light details not immediately obvious) and inspire (move hearers to apply the text to their walk with Christ through life)...[more]

Testing Prophecy

An African "Prophet" has recently and repeatedly "prophesied" that God is about destroy Hobart with an oceanic earthquake and subsequent Tsunami that would swamp Tasmania. Since I live in Tasmania and have an aversion to 30 metre walls of ocean moving in my direction faster than I can drive, this particular 'prophecy' caught my attention.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonian believers that they should "not despise prophecy", but should instead- "hold fast to the truth, and test everything."

1Th. 5:20 Do not despise prophecies, 

1Th. 5:21 but test everything; hold fast what is good.

The same is true today. God can give prophetic words through people, but the church should not naively accept every prophecy without  'testing' it first. When I heard of this particular prophecy about Tasmania being destroyed by a tsunami, I wondered how many others would blindly accept this 'prophecy'? If they  tested this particular prophecy they might discover that several things don't quite add up. 

PROPHECY TEST #1, DOES IT CORRESPOND WITH THE TRUTH?

For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream

Jeremiah 29:8

"Do not let 'your prophets' deceive you..." declared the proven prophet Jeremiah. This demands that any prophetic claim be tested against the truth. Therefore, when an alleged prophet gives an alleged prophecy, the details of this prophetic claim should be tested for its truthfulness. Let's examine this particular alleged 'prophecy' to see if it corresponds with the truth.

Firstly, the 'prophet' identifies the target of the tsunami as being the "island of Hobart" (the video editor tries to correct this with a graphic of Tasmania showing that Hobart is the capital city). Secondly, he says that the earthquake will come from 'the ocean' between Australia and the Island of Hobart. There is no ocean between mainland Australia and the Island of Tasmania. Thirdly, for a Tsunami to come from Bass Strait  and swamp Hobart it would have to travel nearly 300 kilometres over land! (The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami traveled, in places, just a few kilometres inland.)

PROPHECY TEST #2, DOES IT CORRESPOND WITH THE REALITY?

when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

 Deuteronomy 18:22 

Scripture gives a very simple and easily applicable test for any prophetic claim. If a prophet says something will happen and it doesn't happen, the prophecy is not from God. Therefore, this particular prophecy is very test based on the principle in Deuteronomy 18:22. If this prophecy does not come to pass, that is, if it does not correspond with reality, then it is not from God.

Even if none of these facts persuade the naive, there is of course the test of reality. In this case, the reality test is a simple one: the prophecy implies that this tsunami will hit Tasmania soon, if it doesn't, it fails the reality test. (This particular prophecy was first given in the third quarter of 2010.) All too often, so-called prophecies are so vague that their proponents then stretch their appeal to include historic details to validate their prophecy. But this claim is very specific. It is not a prophecy of a severe storm hitting Tasmania and destroying Hobart from Bass Strait - it is the claim that a Tsunami will come from Bass Strait overland to destroy Hobart.

There are other tests of a prophecy, like- Does it correspond with Scripture? Has the person giving the prophecy ever given another prophecy which has been undoubtedly fulfilled? The next time you hear of prophecy warning of some doom, or even of some coming "revival", you might like to apply these prophecy tests.

Andrew Corbett

28th December 2010

Tricky Bible Prophecies Can Be Confusing