Days of Vengeance - The Preterist Archive

More documents

Recommendations

Info

19:3-8 of vengeance, in order that all things that are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:22). Through Moses God had warned of Israel’s future apostasy, when they would make Him jealous by serving other gods (Deut. 32: 15- 22), bringing certain destruction upon themselves and their land (Deut. 32:23-43). Four times in this passage God threatens that His vengeance will overtake the apostates: “Vengeance is mine, and retribution” (v. 35); “I will render vengeance on My adversaries, and I will repay those who hate Me” (v. 41); “Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and will render vengeance on His adversaries, and will atone for His land and His people” (v. 43). 3 In the second division of the song, the great multitude repeats the refrain: Hallelujah! The reason for praise is, again, a godly rejoicing at the destruction of the Church’s enemy, for her smoke rises up forever and ever. As we have noted (see on 14:11; 18:2, 9), this expression is based on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:28), while the specific phraseology is borrowed from Isaiah’s description of the punishment of Edom (Isa. 34:10). It is used here to indicate the permanent nature of Babylon’s fall. 2 4 The third section of the liturgy finds the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures – representing the Church and all the earthly creation (see on 4:4-11) – taking up their distinctive part in the song. First, we are told, they fell down and worshiped; again we notice the importance of posture, of physical attitude, in our religious activity. The modern Church’s affliction of “spiritualistic” neoplatonism – not to mention simple laziness – has resulted in her all-too-casual approach to the Most High. At the very least, our physical position in public, official worship should be one that corresponds to the godly fear and reverence which is appropriate in those who are admitted to an audience with God who sits on the throne. 5 We are not told whose Voice pronounces the fourth section of the liturgy from the Throne. It could be that of one of the elders, leading the congregation from a position close to the throne; but it is more likely to be that of Jesus Christ (cf. 16:17), calling upon His brethren (Rom. 8:29; Heb. 2:11-12) to praise our God (cf. John 20:17, where Jesus says, “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God”). That this is addressed to the Church as a whole is clear from the description of the worshipers: His servants, those who fear Him, the small and the great. 6-8 As the entire Church responds to the officiant’s invitation, she speaks with the familiar Voice of the Glory-Cloud (cf. Ex. 19:16; Ezek. 1:24), indicating her full identification with the glorious Image of God: St. John hears, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder. The Cloud has assumed the Church into itself. The first Hallelujah! of the “great multitude” had praised God for His sovereignty, as shown in the judgment of the great Harlot. The fourth Hallelujah!, in this fifth and final portion of the liturgy, praises God again for His sovereignty, this time as shown in the marriage of the Lamb to His Bride. The destruction of the Harlot and the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride – the divorce and the wedding – are correlative events. The existence of the Church as the congregation of the New Covenant marks an entirely new epoch in the history of redemption. God was not now merely taking Gentile believers into the Old Covenant (as He had often done under the Old Testament economy). Rather, He was bringing in “the age to come” (Heb. 2:5; 6:5), the age of fulfillment, during these Last Days. Pentecost was the inception of a New Covenant. With the final divorce and destruction of the unfaithful wife in A.D. 70, the marriage of the Church to her Lord was firmly established; the Eucharistic celebration of the Church was fully revealed in its true nature as “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb” (v. 9). The multitude of the redeemed exults: His Bride has made herself ready! The duty of the apostles during the Last Days was to prepare the Church for her nuptials. Paul wrote of Christ’s sacrifice as the redemption of the Bride: He “loved the Church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word; that He might present to Himself the glorious Church, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:25-27). Paul extended this imagery in speaking to the Corinthians about the goal of his ministry: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one Husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” Yet there was the danger that the Church would be seduced into fornication with the Dragon; the Apostle was “afraid, lest as the Serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3). As the crisis of those days was drawing to its conclusion, when many were departing the faith and following after various heresies, Jude penned a hurried emergency message to the Church (see Jude 3), in which he enjoined the Bride to remain faithful to her Lord, committing her “to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24). But now St. John sees a vision of the Church in her glory and purity, having successfully met her trials and temptations, having passed through great tribulations into her possession of the Kingdom as the Bride of Christ. Contrary to the expectations of Rome, the destruction of Jerusalem was not the end for the Church. Instead, it was the Church’s full establishment as the new Temple, the final declaration that God had taken to Himself a new Bride, a faithful, chaste virgin who had successfully resisted the seductive temptations 2. The phrase thus cannot be pressed into service as a literal description of the eternal state of the wicked in general. The actual flames that consumed “Babylon” burned out long ago; but her punishment was eternal. She will never be resurrected. 188
19:9 of the Dragon. She had made herself ready, and this was her wedding day. The early Christians learned well the lesson that was later stated by the third-century bishop St. Cyprian: “The spouse of Christ cannot be adulterous; she is uncorrupted and pure. She knows one home; she guards with chaste modesty the sanctity of one couch. She keeps us for God. She appoints the sons whom she has born for the kingdom. Whoever is separated from the Church and is joined to an adulteress, is separated from the promises of the Church; nor can he who forsakes the Church of Christ attain to the rewards of Christ. He is a stranger; he is profane; he is an enemy. He can no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother. If anyone could escape who was outside the ark of Noah, then he also may escape who shall be outside of the Church. The Lord warns, saying, ‘He who is not with me is against me, and he who gathereth not with me scattereth’ [Matt. 12:30]. He who breaks the peace and the concord of Christ, does so in opposition to Christ; he who gathereth elsewhere than in the Church, scatters the Church of Christ. . . . He who does not hold this unity does not hold God’s law, does not hold the faith of the Father and the Son, does not hold life and salvation.” 3 The song of praise continues: And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. We have already seen linen used as a symbol (15:6; cf. 3:4; 4:4; 7:9, 14); now, its symbolic meaning is explicitly stated to be the saints’ righteous acts. 4 Two important points are made here about the saints’ obedience: first, it was given to her – our sanctification is due wholly to the gracious work of God’s Holy Spirit in our hearts; second, she was graciously enabled to clothe herself in the linen of righteous acts – our sanctification is performed by ourselves. This dual emphasis is found throughout the Scriptures: “You shall sanctify yourselves. . . . I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Lev. 20:7-8); “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13). 9 St. John is instructed to write the fourth and central beatitude of the Book of Revelation: Blessed are those who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. God’s people have been saved from the whoredoms of the world to become the Bride of His only begotten Son; and the constant token of this fact is the Church’s weekly celebration of her sacred feast, the Holy Eucharist. The absolute fidelity of this promise is underscored by the angel’s assurance to St. John that these are the true words of God. It should go without saying (but, unfortunately, it cannot), that the Eucharist is the center of Christian worship; the Eucharist is what we are commanded to do when we come together on the Lord’s Day. Everything else is secondary. This is not to suggest that the secondary things are unimportant. The teaching of the Word, for example, is very important, and in fact necessary for the growth and well-being of the Church. Doctrine has long been recognized as one of the essential marks of the Church. Instruction in the faith is therefore an indispensable part of Christian worship. But it is not the heart of Christian worship. The heart of Christian worship is the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is assumed by St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 and 11:20-34. We can see it reflected in Luke’s simple statement in Acts 20:7: “And on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread . . .” It is also described in the Didache: “But every Lord’s Day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure.” 5 Justin Martyr reports the same pattern as the standard for all Christian assemblies: “On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying, Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.” 6 The greatest privilege of the Church is her weekly participation in the Eucharistic meal, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It is a tragedy that so many churches in our day neglect the Lord’s Supper, observing it only on rare occasions (some so-called churches have even abandoned Communion altogether). What we must realize is that the official worship service of the Church on the Lord’s Day is not merely a Bible study or some informal get-together of like-minded souls; to the contrary, it is the formal wedding feast of the Bride with her Bridegroom. That is why we meet together on the first day of the week. In fact, one of the primary issues in the controversy of the Protestant Reformation was the fact that the Roman 3. Cyprian, On the Unity of the Church, 6; in Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, reprinted 1971), Vol. 5, p. 423. 4. The Greek word is generally used in the New Testament to mean God’s “statute” or “ordinance” (Luke 1:6; Rom. 1:32; 8:4; Heb. 9:1, 10; Rev. 15:4); the related meaning, used here, is “fulfillment of God’s statute” (cf. Rom. 5:18). A further meaning is the “judicial sentence that one has met God’s requirement” and hence “justification” (cf. Rom. 5:16). While some have argued for “justification” as the proper meaning here, both the context and the fact that the plural form of the word is employed indicate its most natural meaning to be “righteous acts.” 5. The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, xiv. 1, in Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, reprinted 1971), Vol. 7, p. 381. 6. Justin Martyr, The First Apology, chap. lxvii, in Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, eds., The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, reprinted 1971), Vol. 1, p. 186. 189
Page 1:
But when you see Jerusalem surround
Page 4 and 5:
Copyright @ 1987 by Dominion Press
Page 6 and 7:
FOREWORD Foreword Readers of the Bo
Page 8 and 9:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE Publisher’s
Page 10 and 11:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE case for esch
Page 12 and 13:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE this book bec
Page 14 and 15:
PUBLISHER’S PREFACE In contrast,
Page 16 and 17:
INTRODUCTION St. Irenaeus is somewh
Page 18 and 19:
INTRODUCTION we must be saved” (A
Page 20 and 21:
INTRODUCTION previous relationship
Page 22 and 23:
INTRODUCTION You have lain down as
Page 24 and 25:
INTRODUCTION are only elaborating a
Page 26 and 27:
INTRODUCTION early churches had suc
Page 28 and 29:
INTRODUCTION actions mean more than
Page 30 and 31:
INTRODUCTION Some will complain tha
Page 32 and 33:
INTRODUCTION Outline of Revelation
Page 34 and 35:
1:1-3 that must shortly take place.
Page 36 and 37:
1:4-6 accomplishment. We probably h
Page 38 and 39:
1:7-8 observe that a central aspect
Page 40 and 41:
1:9 14 And His head and His hair we
Page 42 and 43:
1:16 That all the peoples, nations,
Page 44 and 45:
1:20 things that must shortly take
Page 46 and 47:
INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO Part Two H
Page 48 and 49:
INTRODUCTION TO PART TWO The confli
Page 50 and 51:
2:4-6 endure evil men. . . . And yo
Page 52 and 53:
2:9-10 dead, and has come to life:
Page 54 and 55:
2:14-16 expression (none of which m
Page 56 and 57:
2:18-23 and leads my servants astra
Page 58 and 59:
2:26-29 end, to him I will give aut
Page 60 and 61:
3:4-6 church, or even against a nat
Page 62 and 63:
3:8-11 And I will clothe him with y
Page 64 and 65:
3:14-16 sons disinherited and cast
Page 66 and 67:
3:21-22 the elders of a church, and
Page 68 and 69:
INTRODUCTION TO PART THREE The laws
Page 70 and 71:
4:2-3 numerous names and descriptio
Page 72 and 73:
4:5-8 superseded and transcended; t
Page 74 and 75:
4:5-8 19) led Biblical writers to s
Page 76 and 77:
5:1-4 family worship; it is radical
Page 78 and 79:
5:5-7 St. John; and it seems as if
Page 80 and 81:
5:8-10 have gained the victory for
Page 82 and 83:
6:1-2 6 IN THE PATH OF THE WHITE HO
Page 84 and 85:
6:3-4 forth conquering, and to conq
Page 86 and 87:
6:9-10 And authority was given to h
Page 88 and 89:
6:15-17 that Israel’s time has ru
Page 90 and 91:
7:4-8 Though he flourishes among th
Page 92 and 93:
7:4-8 they were listening to the Ap
Page 94 and 95:
7:9 is presumably deliberate, for i
Page 96 and 97:
7:10-14 inheriting the Kingdom (Mat
Page 98 and 99:
7:15-17 They will not hunger or thi
Page 100 and 101:
8:3-5 for that would be about the l
Page 102 and 103:
8:6-7 rout the Midianites, in Judge
Page 104 and 105:
8:12 13 And I looked, and I heard a
Page 106 and 107:
9:13 The vegetation of the earth is
Page 108 and 109:
9:20-21 lations advanced by some co
Page 110 and 111:
9:20-21 men much more atheistical t
Page 112 and 113:
10:2-4 beyond reasonable doubt that
Page 114 and 115:
10:8-10 the Spirit at Pentecost was
Page 116 and 117:
11:1-2 angelic priest measures the
Page 118 and 119:
11:7 have the power to shut up the
Page 120 and 121:
11:11-14 climax with the murder of
Page 122 and 123:
11:16-18 month in the liturgical ye
Page 124 and 125:
12:1-2 12 THE HOLY WAR The Book of
Page 126 and 127:
12:1-2 birth to the Christ, to brin
Page 128 and 129:
12:4 Daniel repeats the same idea i
Page 130 and 131:
12:5-9 Chronologically, this explan
Page 132 and 133:
12:12 And when we see the Lord warr
Page 134 and 135:
12:17 for the action of Pharaoh, wh
Page 136 and 137:
13:3-4 of the ten imperial province
Page 138 and 139: 13:8-10 The Beast was given authori
Page 140 and 141: 13:13-14 character and office (1 Co
Page 142 and 143: 13:18 work throughout Revelation ar
Page 144 and 145: 13:18 ✩ ✩✩ ✩★✩ ✩★
Page 146 and 147: 14:1 14 THE KING ON MOUNT ZION St.
Page 148 and 149: 14:6-7 have seen, the Church on ear
Page 150 and 151: 14:9-13 understanding (Prov. 9:1-6)
Page 152 and 153: 14:14-16 I may find them prompt; na
Page 154 and 155: 14:19-20 And now, O inhabitants of
Page 156 and 157: their Chalices of wrath, one of the
Page 158 and 159: 15:3-4 sacrifices; and the Glory of
Page 160 and 161: 15:8 We should be reminded in this
Page 162 and 163: 16:1-3 5 And I heard the Angel of t
Page 164 and 165: 16:10-11 the heat of the sun by the
Page 166 and 167: 16:15-16 established here, for the
Page 168 and 169: 16:19 thereof, concerning which the
Page 170 and 171: 17:1 17 THE FALSE BRIDE While some
Page 172 and 173: 17:3 action throughout history in s
Page 174 and 175: 17:8 Jerusalem’s whole history, i
Page 176 and 177: 17:13-16 (v. 2), as the instruments
Page 178 and 179: 18:1-2 priority over the kingdoms o
Page 180 and 181: 18:6-8 His people to come out of Ba
Page 182 and 183: 18:17-19 sanctuary two lampstands r
Page 184 and 185: 18:20-21 They went down into the de
Page 186 and 187: 19:1-2 19 THE FEASTS OF THE KINGDOM
Page 190 and 191: 19:10 Church admitted its members t
Page 192 and 193: 19:12-15 Let the heavens be glad, a
Page 194 and 195: 19:16-18 of wealth, or wasting dise
Page 196 and 197: 20:1 20 THE MILLENNIUM AND THE JUDG
Page 198 and 199: 20:1-3 Christ established His media
Page 200 and 201: 20:1-3 The great fathers and teache
Page 202 and 203: 20:4 The relationship between the p
Page 204 and 205: 20:5-6 earth? The answer should be
Page 206 and 207: 20:7-8 ministry; that was Satan’s
Page 208 and 209: 20:9-10 St. John’s image for the
Page 210 and 211: 20:12 redeemed with Thy precious bl
Page 212 and 213: 21:1 21 THE NEW JERUSALEM The Bible
Page 214 and 215: 21:1 Pet. 3:5-7; cf. the same analo
Page 216 and 217: 21:3-5 will be established finally,
Page 218 and 219: 21:9-11 The New Jerusalem (21:9-27)
Page 220 and 221: 21:15-21 Covenant of Grace; the fac
Page 222 and 223: 21:24-27 And deep darkness the peop
Page 224 and 225: 22:3-4 Paradise is not, therefore,
Page 226 and 227: 22:6-9 Final Warnings and Blessings
Page 228 and 229: 22:17-21 unconquerable strength and
Page 230 and 231: CONCLUSION the pure Bride-City, is
Page 232 and 233: CONCLUSION does not exempt us from
Page 234 and 235: APPENDIX A it is reflected in “It
Page 236 and 237: APPENDIX A make him a pillar in the
Page 238 and 239:
APPENDIX A and wine the night befor
Page 240 and 241:
APPENDIX A Babylon, falsely priestl
Page 242 and 243:
APPENDIX A B. CHRISTIAN WORSHIP 1.
Page 244 and 245:
APPENDIX B been the defining mark o
Page 246 and 247:
APPENDIX B The Bible teaches us tha
Page 248 and 249:
APPENDIX C APPENDIX C Common Grace,
Page 250 and 251:
APPENDIX C for all eternity because
Page 252 and 253:
APPENDIX C better arrangement cultu
Page 254 and 255:
APPENDIX C be destroyed. The two ex
Page 256 and 257:
APPENDIX C universe. It is governed
Page 258 and 259:
APPENDIX C completed, the world was
Page 260 and 261:
APPENDIX C deceive the nations. The
Page 262 and 263:
APPENDIX C creeds and theological u
Page 264 and 265:
APPENDIX C coherence that at least
Page 266 and 267:
APPENDIX C There is continuity in l
Page 268 and 269:
Athanasius. On the Incarnation of t
Page 270:
________. The Institutes of Biblica
show all

Days of Vengeance - The Preterist Archive

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?