12 ᴍɪɴ. ʀᴇᴀᴅ
A good friend asked:
"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 14:6 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 144,000 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵."
I'm cautious to stop short of ruling-out the possibility that some parts of Revelation could have some meaning unique to the future.
But in the mean-time whether there is or isn't, we can always treat Revelation simply as being illustrative of 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹-𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀. When we stick to treating Revelation within that parameter, nothing not even time, will contradict us!
Whereas if we approach Revelation always trying to make it about current events, time could end-up proving us wrong (and many already have been).
After all, Jesus did say to John that the contents of the Book of Revelation weren't only about the things hereafter but also about the things which are [already, at the time of writing]:
"𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘈𝘙𝘌, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘚𝘏𝘈𝘓𝘓 𝘉𝘌 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 1:19).
So, Revelation isn't only all about the future—it was also about realities already present at the time of writing!
And it isn't all presented like a timeline of future events in strict chronological sequence. There's some overlapping and repeating of themes. So it's more circular. Some of the visions included symbols of things not only still-future at the time of writing, but also things already present, and even things already-past at the time of writing, all in one vision!
And of course, it was largely symbolic:
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘐𝘎𝘕𝘐𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘋 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 1:1).
'Signified' meant it included signs—symbols. It wasn't all meant to be taken concretely, physically.
John's original hearers may have of course instinctively taken the signs and symbols to mean what similar signs and symbols meant in earlier Scriptures.
Very often throughout Revelation when it was helpful, John himself included an explanation. So there was little need for conjecture about it.
It's no different with this passage. Verse 12 I think may have been intended to sum-up for the hearers, both 𝘸𝘩𝘰 the passage was about, and also 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 it was about:
"𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴".
If that was indeed meant as a summary or explanation, then the passage was about the saints; and it was intended simply as an encouragement to endure patiently.
But who and what does a lot of popular modern End Time teaching try to make this passage about?
As I said, I'm careful to stop short of ruling-out the possibility that it could also have another meaning for the future. But in the meantime, whether it does or doesn't, we can always apply it as just being about saints, and just as a call to endure, as verse 12 said.
So let's take a glance at the passage, without conjecturing for now about whatever else it might mean for the future if anything, but just in light of timeless gospel truths—about the saints, and about the importance of patient endurance—which we already know for sure from the rest of the New Testament:
𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟒:𝟏-𝟏𝟑
𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐥𝐨, 𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬.
Who is this about, and what does the passage mean?
Could verse 12 have been intended as the answer:
"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 [saints] 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴" (𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 12, 𝘕𝘓𝘛).
No matter whether it might also have another specific meaning for a select group in future or not, we can always apply it in principle, simply as being about the saints, and simply as a call to endure.
The Old Testament called God's holy people 'saints'; then in the New Testament Paul radically applied the same term 'saints' to all believers in Jesus, including gentiles, without them needing to become Jewish proselytes.
So we can apply this vision to John's early hearers, saints both Jewish and gentile—and in principle, it can also be applied to you and me today, and to believers of all time.
This was likely the same 144,000 whom John 'heard' mention of back in chapter seven. They had the seal of God—their Father's Name—written on their foreheads.
Remember, Revelation contained signs and symbols. So it didn't necessarily mean therefore that they had something physical marked on them. It likely had the same meaning it had back in Ezekiel 9 when all the godly were seen in a vision being marked-out on their foreheads, ahead of the destruction of the temple and city.
And what does the rest of the New Testament say about being 'sealed'?
Paul said believers had been sealed by the Holy Spirit:
"𝘐𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘠𝘌 𝘞𝘌𝘙𝘌 𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘌𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦,
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺" (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 1:13,14).
Who were sealed? Ye were—believers, including gentiles.
With what were they sealed? The Holy Spirit.
What did it mean? It meant that it was the Jesus-believers, irrespective of ethnicity, and without needing to become Jewish proselytes, who were marked-out as the community who would ultimately possess the promised and purchased inheritance; and the fact they had the Holy Spirit, was both a foretaste and an assurance of that.
John saw them with the Lamb, on mount Sion. That mightn't just be about a select group being raptured to heaven in future, if it means that at all. Because Paul said, writing to first century believers:
"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘠𝘌 𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘌 [already] 𝘜𝘕𝘛𝘖 𝘔𝘖𝘜𝘕𝘛 𝘚𝘐𝘖𝘕, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘭𝘴,
𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘑𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵,
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘣𝘦𝘭" (𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 12:22-29).
Who is in a sense already come to mount Sion? 'Ye' are—believers.
And not only Jewish believers, Paul taught, but all believers, including gentiles:
"...𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘖𝘔𝘔𝘖𝘕𝘞𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘍 𝘐𝘚𝘙𝘈𝘌𝘓, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥:
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘺𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘔𝘈𝘋𝘌 𝘕𝘐𝘎𝘏 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵.
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘏𝘈𝘛𝘏 𝘔𝘈𝘋𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘖𝘕𝘌, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴;
𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘈𝘒𝘌 𝘐𝘕 𝘏𝘐𝘔𝘚𝘌𝘓𝘍 𝘖𝘍 𝘛𝘞𝘈𝘐𝘕 𝘖𝘕𝘌 𝘕𝘌𝘞 𝘔𝘈𝘕, 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦;
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘜𝘕𝘛𝘖 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘐𝘕 𝘖𝘕𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘋𝘠 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘺:
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧𝘧, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩.
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘞𝘌 𝘉𝘖𝘛𝘏 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.
𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘍𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘖𝘞𝘊𝘐𝘛𝘐𝘡𝘌𝘕𝘚 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥;
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦" (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 2:12-20).
The gospel was indeed to Jews first, and also to Greeks. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given first at Jerusalem, to about 120 people. Then by the time John first saw the vision in chapter seven, the number had burgeoned out to a symbolic 144,000. God had indeed been faithful to His promise to Israel.
The original 120 on the day of Pentecost had now multiplied by 12 and by a hundred. 12,000 from each tribe. A picture of completeness. Of perfection. Of new nationhood and new governance. A picture of God's faithfulness to covenant.
John 'heard' 144,000–12,000 from each tribe—but then we he turned to look, he 'saw' not only Jews but a great multitude from every tongue and nations. And it was a still-growing number—the fulness of the Gentiles were still coming in, being grafted in; meanwhile also unbelieving Jews who were broken off because of unbelief were also turning from unbelief and being grafted-in again—both, at the same time, which exactly fulfilled the scenario foreseen by the prophets, as Paul explained in Romans 9-11. And therefore there was to be no place in the congregation at Rome for either Jewish-proselytising nor gentile anti-Semitism, but true unity.
No promise had failed nor been postponed. All was faithfully brought to pass, exactly as foretold. And the promise was made sure to all the seed, not only to Abraham's physical descendants, but also to those who walk in the footsteps of his faith. Ye are all children of God and of Abraham, through faith in Jesus.
John sees his hearers as being already on mount Sion, with the Lamb—despite the sufferings they were about to undergo. Paul spoke about the same hope, as a source of encouragement:
“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘶𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘴” (𝘏𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘴 6:18).
We are "seeing Him who is invisible".
𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐬:
𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡.
"𝘖𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥..." Paul said (𝘌𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 3:15).
One family, whether temporarily in heaven already, or still on earth, named of the same Father God. We have His Name on our foreheads, so to speak.
John's readers were participating in their hearts by faith, in the celebration of the fulfilment of Psalm 68:
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥: 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘵.
𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦: 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭.
𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥.
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘯.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 [Sion] 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘯; 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘯.
𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘱 𝘺𝘦, 𝘺𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴? 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯; 𝘺𝘦𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘖𝘙𝘋 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳" (verses 11-16).
The city of seven mountains would not ultimately prevail above God’s holy hill Sion, nor its Lamb and saints.
𝟒 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛.
It didn't necessarily mean a select group exclusively of Jews who will be raptured to heaven in future, if at all—for it explained: "These are they which follow [present tense] the Lamb whithersoever he goeth".
As John's original readers listened to the public reading—if an individual hearer was one who was following the Lamb wherever He went, even if into suffering—then he or she was part of that auspicious company.
𝟓 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐞: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝.
𝟔 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞,
Despite the rising political idolatry and persecution against Christians, the everlasting gospel could not be made to cease to be proclaimed: the Great Commission would continue to have God's backup, until all the world has heard the gospel. The dragon (the devil, influencing the human political arm) would not be able to snuff it out!
𝟕 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐚, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.
The good news that God's long-promised new-creation project had now been launched by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, was not at all undermined by the antics of temporary human governments gone awry—the One true God of the very heaven, earth, sea and fountains of waters, Who had already intrinsically dealt with it all by the cross, will have His Day of sorting everything out and rollout the achievement.
𝟖 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
So, rather than the gospel-commission ceasing, instead it will be 'Babylon' itself that would ultimately fall.
Peter, writing in the first century AD, mentioned 'Babylon' (even though the physical city named Babylon had already ceased to exist long before, in fulfilment of prophecy):
"𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘯, 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶; 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘯" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 5:13).
Perhaps 'Babylon' had come to be sort of a nickname for an idolatrous political system which fought against God's true people, whichever city its capital was in.
Chapter 17 gave some hints for John's hearers to identify 'Babylon'. Verse 18 mentioned "that great city which reigneth [present tense] over the kings of the earth". It said the "many waters" were many nations and language-groups. Verse 9 mentioned "seven mountains". Rome was extending its rule over many nations. Ceasar-worship was on the rise. And the city has long been known as the city of seven mountains. John's original hearers may have therefore immediately deduced, 'Rome'.)
𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐈𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝,
𝟏𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛:
𝟏𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞.
Like the mark of God on the foreheads of the godly, receiving the beast's mark mightn't have meant anything physical or functional necessarily. It could just have meant that a person went along with Ceasar-worship for example, either with mental assent or by actions.
In the imposing tyrannical idolatrous trend, non-compliant Christians were going to be discriminated against in the markets, and on many levels. So some might be tempted to compromise, or to return to a Christless Judaism.
𝟏𝟐 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬: 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬.
But all who endured patiently, and kept the faith of Jesus, would receive the ultimate inheritance, at the resurrection of the just.
And so verse 13 is a high-point of the passage:
𝟏𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞, 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡: 𝐘𝐞𝐚, 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.
John's hearers couldn't lose, come what may, in the meantime!
And it's the same for you and for me, and for believers throughout all ages:
"𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥,
𝘛𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶,
𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦, 𝘺𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴:
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵:
𝘞𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘺𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦; 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺:
𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 1:3-9).
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩" (𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 21:1).
