Some thoughts on Revelation

Yesterday, I spoke from Revelation 21-22. Undoubtedly, no book generates questions and speculation like Revelation does.

But, I wanted to share an email I got from James MacDonald's ministry Walk in the Word (if you go to this page you can subscribe to the same email). It is well worth the read.

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near." - Revelation 1:3

The book of Revelation was never meant to be the personal property of scholars with their diagrams and charts. You, too, can read and understand it. And our verse today reminds us that we will be blessed by reading this last book of the Bible.

Why has there been so much confusion about the book of Revelation? Let me give you three reasons quickly. First, people can misunderstand or become overwhelmed by the heavy symbolism in Revelation. But symbols are to be understood the same way you understand anything else: literally. An example would be when Jesus said, "I am the door" (John 10:7). It's obvious He didn't mean, "I'm a nine-foot plank with a knob." You understand the figure of speech—the picture - literally. Jesus wasn't focusing on the literal physical makeup of the door, but on the literal purpose of the door - to provide access.

Secondly, people overlook the historic context. This book can't mean to us what it didn't mean to the people for whom it was originally written. The book of Revelation is Jesus' message to Christians who were suffering under the Roman persecution in about 90 AD. They were suffering for their faith - in prison and being tortured. They were persecuted because of their allegiance to Jesus Christ. Some of them were beheaded, burned at the stake, or fed to the beasts. The problem is that in Western-world, watered-down Christianity, some of us believe that we're not going to suffer, that everything's going to be perfect and great if we have God. A lot of the wrong theology about Revelation is rooted in a wrong understanding of what God really promises about the Christian life. Keeping the original audience and context in mind will help us to understand.

Thirdly, people often miss the fact that there are frequent Old Testament allusions and quotes in John's writing. We don’t know the Old Testament well enough, so when we're reading Revelation we just say, "Oh, I think it means this." If we ignore the way the Old Testament explains Revelation, our understanding will be off the mark.

If we avoid these three errors in reading Revelation, we can expect to experience God's promised blessing on our lives.

Letter to our church concerning missions

Next Sunday (3/28), our church will be voting on a motion from our missions committee recommending our church to support the Bracht family as they go to Nicaragua. We will be discussing this as a church this coming Wednesday (3/24).

I felt the need to share with those who are interested some of my thoughts on this subject. To that end, I have written a lengthy letter which will be available at church or which can be accessed on our website.

Children's Bibles

Someone recently asked me if I had any recommendations on children's Bibles. Of course, when it comes to books, I am seldom without a recommendation!

Anyway, I had 3 different Bibles for 3 different reasons. All of these have been useful in our family times reading through Scripture.
The Big Picture Bible - I love the way it encompasses the overarching theme of Scripture into each individual story.
The Jesus Storybook Bible - This Bible takes each individual story and shows how traces of Jesus can be found in them. I have emailed back and forth with the author and she has been very encouraging.
The Picture Bible - Some trusted friends gave us this Bible at Christmas. It is in comic book format, so I was somewhat skeptical...until I looked inside. I should've trusted my trusted friends. The Bible is SO thorough. Many Bibles (for understandable reasons) choose not to tell every story or even many stories, so they can concentrate on the major ones. This Bible went into detail in some of the OT historical sections and the book of Acts. I was majorly impressed.

Which Bible is my favorite? All three, I am a bookworm, and I guess a "Bibleworm."

Reflections on Psalm 119

As a church family, we invested a lot of hours into reading Psalm 119. Personally, it consumed a good portion of my life for the last month. I felt the need in my soul to write an epilogue. I had to write out what I believe God taught me and where He changed me through the extra effort given to these 176 verses. So, here are the things that stand out the most.

I saw a mini-theology (is there anything in Psalm 119 that is ‘mini’?) of who God is and what He does. Over and over, I saw an attribute of God, or I would write down an activity of God. I am not sure that I saw anything new concerning God’s character or his actions, but I certainly saw in a concise clear form a glimpse of Him.

I have realized that God wants me to love His revelation of Himself. I appreciate the synonyms for God’s Word found in this Psalm. It makes me realizes that ALL the commands, ALL the precepts, ALL the testimonies, ALL the righteous rules are things to be treasured, because they speak of a God who must be treasured.

I appreciate that God makes room for short, simple prayers. In the psalm, I found freedom to say, “help me,” “give me understanding,” and “save me.” The brevity of the prayer is not an indicator of the passion behind the prayer.

I have come to understand that confidence in God and vulnerability are not antithetical. Truly, they indicate reality for all of humanity. So, while the psalmist makes bold assertions of his faith in God, he also gives reason to believe he felt less than secure at times. That is not unchristian, that is the reality of Christians. We live with hope, but it is not a hope that is beyond being assaulted.

I certainly have found some new verses to think on. “You are good and you do good” still goes through my mind often. I have prayed, “I am yours.” I have verses to think about when I wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep.

I have been blessed to think about our position on this side of the cross. I think we may take this for granted to often as believers. The psalmist did not have the embodiment of all that he was talking about. He never had seen and read of Jesus. We have. What an enormous benefit.

I have most identified with the last verse of the psalm. I have gone astray like a lost sheep (prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love), seek your servant (here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for your courts above), for I do not forget your commandments.

Thank you, Lord, for this psalm. I say with the psalmist in v. 16 “This psalm has been my delight, and I will not forget it.”

Threads - some recommendations

As I have gone through the Threads of Psalm 119, a few books have been especially helpful.

Threads in general
Speaking the Truth in Love by David Powlison (has an entire chapter devoted to the Psalm)

Pursuit
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer
Desiring God by John Piper
The Dangerous Duty of Delight by John Piper

Obedience
Future Grace by John Piper
The Cost of Discipleship by Deitrich Bonhoeffer
What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper
The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Understanding
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

Security
Why Does It Have to Hurt by Dan McCartney

Comfort and security

Yesterday, I spoke from Psalm 119 on the issue of where we find our security.

One of our church members sent this from the Heidelberg Catechism. I think it succinctly summarizes my burden from the message.

Q: What is thy only comfort in life and death?

A: That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.

"Clean up your act" or "you need a clean heart"

It is so easy when dealing with a 'discipline issue' in the lives of kids to come across with the attitude of "You need to clean up your act!" I think that is my default position.

And yet, is that grace-based, gospel parenting? I was reminded again last night that children (or their grown-up parents) often don't need a lecture/sermon on how they need to start acting better. At least, that isn't the first thing we need. What we need most desperately is a view of our heart from God's perspective. Having that view, we need that heart which is corrupt and selfish to be clean. And that is where the gospel has the megaphone. The gospel is what "cleans our hearts." The promises of the New Covenant in Ezekiel and Jeremiah promise just that.

Too often, when I am talking to our children it is easy to fall into the 'clean up your act' mode. It may show more about my heart than I might realize. Perhaps, I think I can clean up my own act, and rather than coming to God's throne for mercy and heart transformation, I may opt for my own plan and my own effort.

God help me to have a clean heart, and not just make another failed attempt to clean up my act.

Day 22: Psalm 119:169-176

169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word,
for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments.

Day 19: Psalm 119:145-152

145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
I will keep your statutes.
146 I call to you; save me,
that I may observe your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from your law.
151 But you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
that you have founded them forever.

Prayer for a people group

I have an email sent to my inbox each day. It is an email reminding me to pray for a certain people group in this world that needs Christ. Today’s group particularly struck me. The group is the Badhai people, located mostly in India. In that country, there are an estimated 518,000 people of this tribe. That is about the size of New Castle County.

And yet, there are “no known believers among the Badhai.”

God, break our hearts for the nations. Millions who don’t believe in You, and millions who have never heard.