Paul Luckraft unpacks the letter sent to believers in Sardis.

There are many letters in the New Testament, to individuals and to churches, but those in Revelation chapters 2 and 3 have special significance – they are from Jesus himself. Furthermore, they are written to churches under severe pressure. Would they survive? To be overcomers in their difficult circumstances they needed to hear from Jesus, to learn what he thought about them and what they should do to become strong again.

Illustrious Past

What kind of place was Sardis? What was it like back in the 1^st Century AD and what was its history?

Founded around 1200 BC, Sardis had an illustrious past. It was once a pre-eminent city, commanding a main trade route. As a result, it grew rich on trade, especially the clothing industry, being well-known for its woollen garments. It eventually became the capital of the small kingdom of Lydia, whose most famous king was Croesus, fabled for his wealth. It has even been suggested that coinage was first developed there.

Also from this region came the legend of King Midas. Certainly everything those in Sardis touched seemed to turn to gold – but as a result, they became increasingly affluent, materialistic, self-sufficient and proud.

Sardis itself contained a magnificent colonnaded marble road about 1500m long, running from east to west. Buildings of great splendour adorned the whole city - not just fine residences but many public buildings: a gymnasium, a theatre, public baths and a huge Temple to Artemis (Diana).

Sardis had an illustrious past – it was once a pre-eminent city that had grown rich on trade.

Wealth, Pride and Complacency

View of the 'impregnable' citadel of Sardis.

Overlooking the city was an impressive acropolis, a 450m-high fortress they called The Impregnable, which gave the citizens a sense of security and safety. If attacked they could withdraw there and survive in what they thought was a safe haven. However, history shows that on two separate occasions they got careless and were defeated.

There was only one way to attack the fortress, via a single narrow path which was hidden from the view of the attackers and which could easily be guarded. One lookout was enough. But the story goes that on one occasion the lookout dropped a piece of armour. As he went to retrieve it he inadvertently revealed the way up. Another story recounts how the guard simply fell asleep.

Whatever the truth of the legends, the reality is that twice Sardis was conquered: first by the Persians under Cyrus in 549 BC, and later by the Greeks under Antiochus the Great, 218 BC. The fall of Sardis to the Persians has been preserved in folklore as a story of misplaced trust and a lack of watchfulness (something from which to learn!). And yet, centuries later, it happened again!

Eventually the Romans took over, and a church was founded there. By the 1^st Century AD Sardis had 120,000 inhabitants and continued to flourish financially – although by now it had a reputation for bad character. The pagan philosopher Apollonius, a contemporary of the Apostle John, stated “there are no prizes among you for good character, but if you competed for the first prize in vice you would all win at once!”

The fall of Sardis to the Persians is remembered as a story of misplaced trust and a lack of watchfulness.

In AD 17, a large earthquake struck and destroyed 12 cities in the area. Sardis was badly hit, but refused help from Rome, saying ‘we can rebuild it ourselves with our own wealth!’ They had a reputation to uphold, one that said ‘we are the great, the wealthy, the impregnable city against which none could strive and prevail.’

So it was that here, in a city of wealth, pride and complacency, one of the seven Churches of Revelation had to survive and witness to the Gospel of Jesus Messiah. How were they doing?

No Words of Approval

Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. Now on display in New York.

Everyone had a lot to say about the Church at Sardis and spoke well of them. Everyone, that is, except the one person who really counts, Jesus. He was far from impressed. What had gone wrong? What could they do about it? What problems did they face and what did Jesus tell them to do about them?

Each of the seven letters in Revelation follows a similar pattern or structure. After the initial address and an attribute of Jesus (usually based on the vision in Revelation 1), there follow five sections. These can be summarised as: approval, accusation, advice, appeal and assurance.

However, in two of the letters there are no words of accusation (those to believers in Smyrna and Philadelphia). In another two there are no words of approval. One is Laodicea - and the other is Sardis!

Instead, Jesus starts with a devastating opening rebuke and accusation: “I know your deeds.” It seems they had no doctrinal problems and no external problems to overcome. Rather, the issues were all internal. They were comfortable, content, living on reputation - not reality. Like the guards in the past they had gone to sleep, or become careless.

They were very busy, lots of activity – but no spiritual reality, no substance. There was no shortage of projects - but no harvest, no fruit. Nothing they started was ever properly finished or fulfilled; nothing they undertook was seen through. They lacked perseverance and commitment. What they were doing seemed good in the eyes of men, but not in the sight of God. They were not fulfilling his purposes. And what little remained was about to die out, like a flickering candle. Their future was under threat. Jesus, who closes churches as well as opens them, would remove their lampstand unless they listened carefully to his advice.

Those in Sardis were comfortable, content, living on reputation - not reality. Their activity seemed good in the eyes of men – but not in the sight of God.

Five Commands

What he told them can be summarised as a series five short commands: first, wake up! Realise what is going on, and what you are like. An obvious first step, perhaps, but very necessary before you can move on to the next stage, to strengthen what you have that is still alive. Don’t let that die out! If a flame is flickering, revive it first, before trying to light others. Allow God’s spirit to work on what is still there, however faint it seems. To strengthen what we have is our first duty, rather than to abandon everything in favour of ‘new ideas’, in the hope that these will put things right again.

The third command is: remember! It is always good to recall what we first had that blessed us. The grace we first knew, the love and fervour we once had, the Gospel that saved us. Remembering how we first started and what God has done for us in the past will breathe new life into a dying situation. Go back to the beginning, remind yourself of the basics. Think again how amazing it is to be part of God’s people and what a privilege it is to be called by him.

Remembrance helps the final two commands: repent and obey! These should be constant aspects of the Christian life and of any church. Obey what you once knew was right. You did it then - do it now, again and again. And alongside this goes repentance. Each aids the other.

So: wake up, strengthen what remains, remember what you once had, then repent and obey. Solid advice, but if they did not respond, the consequences for the Church would be severe.
Jesus issued a warning that listeners in Sardis would have all understood from their city’s history. Jesus was watching, waiting, and if ignored he would steal upon them like the attackers of old. They would lose everything. This image of a thief is not a reference to the Second Coming – neither is it advocating a secret return before another final (third) one! This was about their current situation and relationship to Jesus as the head of their Church.

Strengthen what you have - if a flame is flickering, revive it first, before trying to light others.

The Overcomers

So, did they respond? Maybe for a while, but by the 4^th Century the Church in Sardis had disappeared. There are only ruins today where once it existed.

However, there is good news. The letter tells us that there was a faithful remnant and where such exists, a church can re-build. Again, in the letter Jesus used an analogy that would have been familiar to dwellers in Sardis - from their clothing industry. Some had resisted the drift and decline, and not allowed their clothes to become soiled. They still walked with Jesus and their future was assured. They would get new white clothes, worthy of their calling.

These were the overcomers, individuals who kept to the original faith and remained an example to others. Whatever church you are in, whatever state it is in, you can overcome in that situation by a personal walk with God.

The Book of Life

The alternative is drastic. Names will be blotted out from the book of life! Again, those in Sardis would have got the message. Greek cities kept registers of their citizens, and the names of those found unworthy were removed and blotted out (or, more literally, scraped off with a penknife).

But what does this mean here? Is this ‘book of life’ all who have ever lived (as in Psalm 69:28, the book from which the unrighteous are blotted out), or believers who have given up and miss out on eternal life? In Revelation 13:8 there is reference to “the book of life belonging to the Lamb”. For consistency we might expect the warning in Revelation 3 to relate to that.

Here is a controversial topic! I would recommend you do your own study through the scriptures where there is mention of more than one ‘book of life’ or ‘book of names’, and names being blotted out of such a book (for instance Ex 32:32; Dan 12:1; Phil 4:3; plus Rev 20:15, 21:27).

Where a faithful remnant exists, there is always hope that a church can re-build.

Whatever you decide, what is important is that by the end your name is still there, and for overcomers Jesus guarantees this. There is a strong double negative for emphasis, literally “I will never ever by any means blot out his name”. It cannot happen if you endure to the end.

And on an even more positive note, your name will be acknowledged before the Father. Here is the best possible reputation, better than anything amongst men. To hear Jesus call out before the Father and the angels: he/she is mine! Here’s another one of my overcomers for he/she belongs to me!

Having Ears to Hear

The final appeal is common to all the letters in Revelation, and one familiar from many of Jesus’ parables where he was seeking a response. To have ‘ears to hear’ means far more than to hear something physically. Rather, it means take heed! Now you have read the letter, consider it in detail. Listen to the Spirit! Pay attention to what the Spirit is saying about it all - the problems, the solutions, the advice, the warnings, the rewards.

It is fascinating to think that there was an occasion when this letter was read aloud for the very first time, in a real place called Sardis. What was the reaction of listeners then? But just as important is what happens every time it is read by us today. Do you hear the voice of Jesus - or is it just another letter?

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Author: Paul Luckraft

Photo Credits: Top image from Wikimedia Commons / Turkey Vision / CC BY 2.0. Acropolis image from David Lull / Flickr Creative Commons / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. Column image from MBisanz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Clifford Denton discusses the probable date of Jesus' birth, how we got to 25 December and what that means for us today.

There is no known record from early Christian writers concerning the celebration of Christmas. For example, neither of the prominent writers Tertullian (c. AD 155-220) or Irenaeus (late 3^rd Century AD) included Christmas in their lists of Christian feasts. It is therefore generally considered that the Christian festival of Christmas began being celebrated officially sometime after AD 300. In terms of the date we use now, 25 December, the first recorded celebration was in Rome in AD 336.¹

The Pagan Roots of Christmas

Many Christians are now re-thinking the practices of the faith, being concerned to return faithfully to its Hebraic roots. They are concerned that what may have begun as a genuine remembrance of the birth of Jesus (possibly in the 1^st Century AD, incorporated into the biblical Feasts of the Lord) was moved to 25 December in an attempt to Christianise the pagan Roman festival of the sun god Sol Invictus, celebrating the 'birthday of the sun'. In the English language this allows an interesting play on words, but other than that it is not difficult to see that the marrying of the two celebrations is rather fragile.

However, there can be no doubt that God has brought much blessing to families and communities, and immense opportunities to proclaim the Gospel, during the Christmas season. The birth of Jesus is recorded in Scripture and it is something to celebrate every day. Indeed, if we were able to establish the correct date for his birth then Christian ethics of love and sharing and many of the wonderful carols we sing at Christmas could transfer seamlessly to that date or season.

So let us not be too harsh in our judgment as we celebrate this Advent season once more - but let us get our focus clear. Once more we will surely know the blessing of God; yet we might also consider whether he is gradually seeking to re-focus us - and why.

Christians desiring to recover the Hebraic roots of the faith often become concerned that the remembrance of the birth of Jesus was moved to 25 December.

When Was Jesus Really Born?

When, then, was Jesus actually born? We have no clear conclusion from Scripture, but it does give us clues to develop a compelling argument that it was during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Let us begin in Luke 1:5, where we discover that Zacharias was a priest from the division of Abijah. The divisions of the priests were established by King David (1 Chron 24) who appointed 24 Levitical families in a certain order for ministering in the Temple. We discover (verse 10) that Abijah was the seventh division, which would place his priestly responsibility in the first half of the fourth month. If the counting of the Jewish year began at Passover (the beginning of the biblical year – Exodus 12:2), the fourth month after Passover would be Tammuz (around June/July).² We can then estimate when John the Baptist was conceived, i.e. after Zacharias returned home in the middle of the fourth month (Luke 1:23-24).

We know, by reading on in Luke 1, that it was after six more months that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. All this has some approximation, but in putting the clues together there is a strong suggestion that John the Baptist would be born nine months on from the second half of Tammuz: in the middle of the first month (Nissan) of the following year. Jesus would be born six months later, in the middle of the seventh month (Tishrei, around September/October).

Bearing in mind that the Feast of Tabernacles begins on the 14^th day of the seventh month (Lev 23:34), the calculation may be exact to that date. If not exact, the strong implication is that Jesus was born (i.e. came to earth to dwell/tabernacle amongst us) during the season of the latter feasts, which includes both the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast announced with the blowing of Trumpets.

All this makes much more sense than 25 December, especially when it also brings to mind his Second Coming, which will also be announced by the blowing of a trumpet (1 Thess 4:16)!

So What?

So, what does this mean for us who are already well into another traditional Advent season? I have, for many years, been among those who have desired and encouraged a return to the biblical roots of our faith. Yet, I have also known the blessings of a traditional Western Christian Christmas, especially as a child in the 1940s and 1950s in post-World War II Britain, when family bonds were strong and when community Christmases centred on remembering the birth of Jesus.

I know that some of those who strongly promote the Jewish roots of Christianity would be quick to argue against any Christmas emphasis, but personally I am uneasy about over-reacting in this. Is our Father in Heaven, whilst increasingly warning us of the pagan roots of the celebrations around 25 December, nevertheless encouraging us to get our priorities straight rather than acting in haste? The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath!

The implication of Scripture is that Jesus was born on the Feast of Tabernacles - or at least during the season of the latter feasts.

Priorities in Our Remembering

Jesus told us to remember his death until he comes (cf. his birth), through the sharing of the bread and wine of Passover. Yet, in balance, we must also remember his birth as the Son of Man.

It could well be that he was born on the Feast of Tabernacles. Those shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem were most likely those who cared for the flocks of lambs prepared for slaughter at the Feasts. How appropriate that they were among the first to see the Lamb of God, who had come to take away the sins of the world. And if it was the time of this Feast, then it is little wonder that the inn in Bethlehem was so full of pilgrims. How differently we understand the Christmas story when taken in context.

As to the exact date, even though it is not known for sure, we are surely to understand that the Feast of Tabernacles will be fulfilled through the Second Coming of Jesus. If we divert our attentions away from this truth, we will end up unprepared for his arrival. Conversely, recalling his First Coming at the Feast of Tabernacles will help us to prepare for his Second Coming, through concentrating on the priorities of that Feast. If Passover helps us look back and remember his death, then Tabernacles helps us recall his birth and, more importantly in the context of our age, look forward to his return.

Look Up!

As we celebrate this year, let us do so whole-heartedly, as our Thought for the Week this week encourages us to do. Surely, God will still bless us as we sing carols, witness in the world and share love together in community and family. But let us not be foolish with the worldly trappings that divert us from the prime focus of the season. And let us not look down overmuch at the troubles of this world, nor concentrate our attention too exclusively on a now-empty manger.

In the coming days it is my hope that we will gradually adjust our perspective on what we call Christmas, to re-home it among the biblical Feasts of the Lord (especially in relation to Tabernacles). Perhaps our attraction to the tinsel of Christmas will fade away! But whatever happens, let us look up, for he will come back when the world least expects him. Indeed, is it now time to concentrate more on his Second Coming than on his First? Are you ready for Christmas?

Is it time to focus more on Jesus's Second Coming than on his First?

Notes

1 See Wikipedia's page on the origins of Christmas.

2 Ezra, after the Babylonian captivity, led Judah back to the biblical pattern of worship. It is a reasonable assumption that the order of the priesthood would be according to the pre-captivity order, but it is an assumption.

Believers in Smyrna were poor but faithful, hated but loved. Frances Rabbitts unpacks the letter to this persecuted church.

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death." (Rev 2:8-11)

Revelation was received, written and circulated during a time when Christians across Asia Minor faced increasingly heated persecution – hence its reliance on symbolic language that non-believers would not understand.

Whilst an emphasis on persecution and trial runs right through the whole Book of Revelation, the letter written to the church in Smyrna is particularly devoted to encouraging believers to stand firm in the face of a coming onslaught, during which many would have been imprisoned, tortured and killed.

Great Fire of Smyrna, 1922.The words would have spoken incredibly clearly to believers at the time – and they have lost none of their relevance through the years. The last time believers in Smyrna were attacked en masse was actually in the 20th Century – in 1922, when incoming Turkish soldiers slaughtered tens of thousands of Christians (causing 1.5 million more to flee as refugees) - far more than would ever have died under Rome.¹

Today the words have great poignancy for the millions of Christians worldwide suffering for the faith – and are yet relevant to the whole Body, for "if one part [of the Body] suffers, every part suffers with it" (1 Cor 12:26). As we will also see, its exhortations apply in a spiritual way to all believers, whether they are undergoing trials in this life or not.

The last time believers in Smyrna were attacked en masse was actually in 1922, when Turkish soldiers slaughtered far more Christians than would ever have died under Rome.

Ancient SmyrnaThe agora in modern Izmir, Turkey.

Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, named in 1930 – simply the Turkish rendering of the Greek name) was an ancient Greek seaport on the coast of Asia Minor (about 50 miles north of Ephesus) and a leading city in Greek antiquity. Situated in a sheltered valley between the mountains and the sea, like Ephesus, Smyrna was at the mouth of a great Anatolian trade route. Today it is still an industrial transit city - but known more for its urban sprawl than for its historic glory.

The oldest city on the Aegean coast and founded by the Hittites, Smyrna experienced large-scale migration from the Greek mainland c.1200 BC, completely transforming its cultural fabric. It grew in splendour and was 'talent-spotted' by Alexander the Great in the 4^th Century BC, who deliberately rebuilt the city on the opposite side of the bay to take advantage of the view.

This more 'modern' Smyrna had all the advantages of a purpose-built Greek city – gym, stadium, theatre and broad, well-paved streets.² The city's main street extended from the temple of Zeus in the west to that of Cybele in the east. When governance of Smyrna was transferred peacefully to the Roman Empire in 133 BC, Greek buildings and architecture were not destroyed, but adapted and extended.

The Christians Community in Smyrna

By the time the Gospel arrived, Smyrna was a bustling, prosperous, polytheistic city of many magnificent temples and a fusion of cultures. Smyrna had a Christian population from very early on, the seeds of which were planted and watered by Bishop Polycarp, who was instructed and appointed by the early apostles and later martyred. Smyrna's initial group of Jewish converts grew rapidly into a larger community of both Messianics and Gentile believers.

Believers were not necessarily rich (hence the mention in the letter of their apparent 'poverty'), but they were liberated from the shackles of Greco-Roman religion, into which the Gospel spoke as a breath of fresh air. By the time Revelation was written, there were at least 500 churches in the region; the Gospel was having great success.

By the time the Gospel arrived, Smyrna was a bustling, prosperous, polytheistic city of many magnificent temples and a fusion of cultures.

Spread of Persecution

As the faith flourished, however, so Christianity began to be perceived as a threat, both to the traditional pagan religions of Rome and to orthodox Judaism.

Christians in the Roman Empire were initially tolerated as a Jewish sect, but as the faith spread amongst Gentiles and the differences between Christians and Jews who had not accepted Jesus as Messiah became increasingly observable to outsiders, civic authorities turned against the believing community. Christians were painted as trouble-makers and subversives, refusing to acknowledge the supremacy of Caesar, worshipping in private (rumours abounded) and declining participation in pagan festivals.

Persecution under Nero in the 60s AD (during which Peter and Paul likely were both martyred) was mercifully brief, but took a more serious and widespread turn under Domitian, who enforced the practice of 'Lord's Day' - when all citizens had to declare 'Caesar is Lord' or face terrible persecution – and when John, banished to Patmos by Roman officials, received the Revelation from Jesus.

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna

The letter to the church in Smyrna would have been received during a time of great persecution, likely under Domitian. It is unsurprising, then, that its central aim is to strengthen and encourage believers, whilst being frank about the coming trials. The Lord Jesus does not mince words, deny facts or try to paint a rosier picture to quell the fears of his beloved ones – he clearly states that trouble is coming, and will be tough, but that the crown of life to be won will be worth the fight.

Christians, increasingly isolated and targeted by both Rome and some more militant groups of orthodox Jews (hence Jesus's mention of the 'synagogue of Satan'), lived in daily fear of false accusations and even infiltration of their churches by those who would betray them to officials. The letter gives a prophetic warning of "ten days" of trial, not unlike Daniel and his companions in Babylonian captivity, who publicly put themselves to the test for ten days to prove that God could sustain them on a diet of vegetables and water.³

The ten days mentioned for Smyrna may have been literal, or symbolic, or both – but the principles behind the Lord Jesus's encouragement echo down through the ages to all believers undergoing suffering: this is an opportunity to let the fire of testing prove the capacity of God to sustain his beloved children; for them to learn that though they may have nothing in the eyes of the world, in the eyes of Heaven they have everything (see Gal 4:6-7). Though they should expect to be hated by those who still belong to the evil one, they should also know that they are enduringly loved by the One who is victorious above all.

The Lord Jesus does not paint a rosier picture to quell the fears of his beloved ones – he clearly states that trouble is coming, but that it will be worth the fight.

Do Not Be Afraid - Be Faithful

Unlike the other letters, the one addressed to those in Smyrna has no rebuke or call to repentance. These were beloved children undergoing – and about to undergo further - immense difficulty. There is a sense here of the Lord Jesus coming alongside his brothers and sisters in solidarity, reassuring them that he knew of their circumstances and encouraging them to endure, faithfully (also John 14:18). How often do we cry out to the Lord to relieve us of our trials, instead of humbly recognising that he might require us to walk with him through the valley, rather than around it – even though he knows our suffering and cares deeply about our pain?

As the Father did not relieve the Son of the cup of suffering, so often we too must drink from it, for the eternal joy set before us. In fact, the letter itself puts everything in perspective, beginning as it does by addressing the Lord Jesus as "him who is the first and the last [the Alpha and Omega], who died and came to life again": the same words Jesus also used to reassure John when he was afraid at the beginning of the Revelation vision (Rev 1:17-18).

The perspective here is clear: the Lord Jesus IS LORD OF ALL and had already gone ahead of us, through death, emerging victorious. Like the other letters, this one also refers to those who 'overcome' the trials at hand – those who follow Jesus into his victory - who are "more than conquerors" according to Romans 8:37.⁴

Persecution Today

Today our brothers and sisters around the world need our prayers and aid more than ever, as Sunday's terrible slaughter of worshippers in Cairo demonstrates. The number of Christians killed in the last year almost doubled on 2015 figures, exceeding 7,000 according to Open Doors' conservative figures - and this is without counting atrocities in Syria, Iraq and North Korea, where accurate records are not kept.⁵

The number of churches attacked and destroyed has also more than doubled in the last year, and millions of Christians are on the move around the world as refugees fleeing religious violence. The greatest source of persecution continues to be religious extremism – not just Islamic, but also Hindu and Buddhist.⁶

Meanwhile, the Western Church is just beginning to feel the pinch of an intolerant secular humanist culture, and many discern the Lord at work sifting too-comfortable church-goers by allowing various deceptions to proliferate, including liberalism and new age occult. But for the most part, we in the West in this generation do not know what it is to suffer the fires of persecution. That road may lie ahead for us, as yet untrodden. Furthermore, we are also largely ignorant of the suffering of other parts of the Body around the world.

As the Father did not relieve the Son of the cup of suffering, so often we too must drink from it, for the eternal joy set before us.

Life Through Death

Yet, the message to Smyrna is actually relevant to all believers everywhere – not just those undergoing dreadful persecution. There is a process that God wants every Christian to undergo, regardless of where they are in the world, how materially blessed they are or what difficulties they face: it is that costly process of refining that feels very much like trial on the inside (whether or not it looks like it on the outside), and is with eternal and Divine purpose. For our God disciplines those He loves, desiring that they be purified by holy fire, even though this process might be painful.

In this sense, every believer is called to a life of suffering, as our flesh-life is put to death that the new, eternal life in the spirit might grow and flourish. We are therefore to expect 'trouble' in this life (John 16:33), both within and without. God's desire is to purify us to such an extent that when he has finished, no earthly trial can stand against us or stop our light from shining.

David Wilkerson unpacks another facet of this: he talks about God wanting to share his heart of grief with those who are willing and hungry to walk closely with the Lord Jesus.⁷ This is the road less travelled, which includes sharing in the Lord's own heart for this broken world and allowing ourselves to be brought low by it, counting it all as heavenly privilege that we get to somehow participate in what Jesus himself went (and still goes) through.

This is the honoured road along which I believe God shepherds all believers who diligently and wholeheartedly seek him. As missionary Helen Roseveare, who died last week, said: "God never uses a person greatly until He has wounded him deeply."

Today our brothers and sisters around the world need our prayers and aid more than ever.

'The Privilege is Greater than the Price'

The world is approaching a critical point – so many things are on the verge of complete collapse – even unbelievers sense the severity of the age. The Lord is looking for those who love him enough to give up their worldly desires and aspirations, to the point of laying down their very lives, submitting themselves to his process of refining and saying always "Thy will be done", even when it hurts.

But let us take heart, as those in Smyrna hopefully also did: for those who overcome will not be hurt at all by the second death, but will be given the crown of life by "him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again". Ultimately, to quote Helen Roseveare again, "The privilege He offers you is greater than the price you have to pay. The privilege is greater than the price."

References

1 See Hill, C & Hill, M, 2005. Ephesus to Laodicea. Handsel Press. This is a fantastic biblical guide to the Revelation churches written particularly for those visiting the region. It is highly recommended as accompanying reading for this series.

2 See Wikipedia's page on Smyrna for a brief history.

3 Lehman, R. "And ye shall have tribulation ten days". 17 October 2008.

4 See note 1.

5 Persecution: The Key Facts. Open Doors.

6 Ibid.

7 Wilkerson, D, 1992. Hungry for More of Jesus, chapter 3. One Pound Classics.

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Clifford Hill looks at the letter in Revelation 2 addressed to the Ephesian Church.

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favour: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Rev 2:1-7)

Ephesus was one of the three great cities of the eastern Mediterranean in the Greco-Roman period – the other two being Antioch of Syria and Alexandria of Egypt. Paul spent three years of his ministry there and John is thought to have settled there sometime after Paul – probably taking with him Mary the Mother of Jesus. John was evidently banished to the island of Patmos during the reign of Domitian (81-96 AD), who was the first Emperor to initiate serious and widespread persecution against Christians.

John was 'in the Spirit' on 1 August (the day named after the Emperor who was the first to be deified) known as 'Lord's day' when many Christians would be refusing to do homage to Caesar at the local shrine by saying "Caesar is Lord!".

As was said in the introductory article last week, the personal messages sent to the Seven Churches were intended to be read aloud in each of them together with the following chapters. The whole message was intended:

...to embolden the timid, to strengthen the weak, to warn the complacent, to give reassurance to the faithful and to give understanding of the purposes of God during this period of hardship and persecution before the second coming of our Lord.¹

Ephesus Then and Now

Ephesus was a busy seaport as well as a centre of commerce and communications. At the time of Paul's ministry its population was somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000. It was also a centre of culture with large numbers of visitors coming to its famous library, much of which Mark Anthony gave to Cleopatra - although many of the scrolls and tablets would probably have been replaced by the time Paul arrived some 20 years later.

Today, Ephesus is the best preserved ancient city in the Mediterranean world because, although it suffered some earthquake damage, it was never conquered and never destroyed by hostile armies. It was simply abandoned when the river silted up making the port unusable and mosquitoes and other insects made it uninhabitable.

Visitors today can walk down the well-preserved main street called Marble Way, with restored buildings on either side. It is usually crowded with visitors which gives the feel of a busy city as it was in Paul's and John's day. A great attraction is the beautiful architecture of the library with its infamous tunnel under the street to the brothel. The library itself was adjacent to the Hall of Tyrannus which Paul rented for his daily teaching.

John was 'in the Spirit' on 1 August, or 'Lord's day', when many Christians would be refusing to do homage to Caesar at the local shrine by saying "Caesar is Lord!".

Rules for VisitorsTheatre in Ephesus.

Visitors to Ephesus would normally enter the main gates at the upper level and would no doubt have been impressed by the efficient organisation of the city with its strict immigration procedures. All caravans and chariots had to be left outside the city gates just as coaches and taxis are today.

The first building inside the gates was the baths and all visitors were required to wash their bodies on entering the city. Next, they had to go into the City Hall where the rules of the city were displayed. Visitors then went into a small theatre where they were addressed by the city elders who elaborated the regulations ensuring that everyone was familiar with the rules and norms of behaviour required.

Christian visitors can see the spiritual significance of this in terms of entering the Kingdom of Heaven. New converts first have to leave behind the baggage of the world. They are then washed of the sins of the world through baptism after which they receive the word of God which is expounded by the elders. Finally, they are free to enjoy living in the city of God.

Success of the Gospel

In addition to the well-preserved Main Street with its numerous buildings, Ephesus also has a magnificent theatre with 24,000 seats. It was this theatre that was filled by the riotous mob led by Demetrius (Acts 19), the leader of the silversmiths' trade union, shouting "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!". They were protesting that Paul's ministry was threatening their trade in making images of the fertility goddess Artemis.

Ephesus was renowned as a city of vice and idolatry attracting sailors and traders from around the world, but Paul had enormous success in converting large numbers with the Gospel, resulting in many of them publicly burning their scrolls and images (Acts 19:19).

Turkish guides are often not aware of the most significant part of Ephesus for Christians. After leaving the great theatre, the guides usually lead their parties to the exit gate where the coaches wait. But Christians should look for a small track on the left-hand side that leads to the ruins of the church of St Mary the Virgin with its well-preserved chancel – a beautiful place to sit and pray.

The building was originally built by the Romans as the Financial Exchange, before becoming a church. At the end of the nave on the right-hand side there is a transept with the oldest remaining baptistery in the world. This church is where the Council of Ephesus took place in 431 AD, which fixed the Canon of the Bible and settled many questions of doctrine.

Like those entering the Kingdom of Heaven, visitors to Ephesus would have had to leave behind their baggage, go through a cleansing process and then receive new instruction on how to live.

Paul's Message

In the personal message to the Christians in Ephesus sent by John there was praise for their "deeds, hard work and perseverance". The message continued "I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary" (Rev 2:3).

This was followed by the rebuke: "But you have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen!" They had been diligent in upholding the true faith of the Gospel. They themselves had discovered the true God of the universe and they wanted everyone to know him and to share their faith. They had overflowed with love for each other in the fellowship of believers and their love was so great that it overflowed to their pagan neighbours – but that was the early days, probably back in the heady days when Paul was around and everything was new and exciting.

Having to sort out false teachers who had come among them made them suspicious. Testing false doctrine had put a strain on personal relationships and even made them critical of each other in the fellowship, resulting in false accusations. They were however perfectly right in opposing the Nicolaitans for their false teaching. It was right to expel false teachers; but there was a cost – the cost was their love.

Believers in Ephesus had diligently upheld the true faith – but in doing so had lost their initial love for God.

The fellowship of believers in Ephesus could be summed up in a few words: they were 'vigilant but loveless'. The message of Jesus to his beloved ones in Ephesus was to return to their first love.

This is such a relevant message for us today. The Church has been assailed by many false teachings in recent decades that have brought division and conflict within fellowships and between one church and another. The struggle to hold fast to the faith has been costly for many believers and has often resulted in the loss of personal relationships of love. We all need to hear this call to return to our first love for the Lord Jesus and for his Gospel.

References

1 Hill, C & M, 2005. Ephesus to Laodicea, Handsel Press, Edinburgh, p106.

Click here for the rest of the articles in this series.

Paul Luckraft reviews 'The Returning King: Is God Preparing Israel for the Messiah?' by Claire Lambert (Instant Apostle, 2015)

This is a delightful and well-written book, wonderfully descriptive and full of rich phrases which keep you turning the pages from the sheer pleasure of reading. It comes from the heart and tackles the topic of Jesus' return not as a deep theological analysis but as a personal narrative, which nevertheless shines a light on the role of Israel and the Jews in the future plan of God.

Journey to Jerusalem

The author states the main purpose of the book is "to open eyes to God's current and future intentions for Israel" (p13), but the way this is done is quite special and possibly unique. The book is in two sections and the first of these, Walls of Revelation, contains six chapters of "personal context which serves as a framework for all that follows" (p13). This is a testimony of how Clare came to a personal revelation of what she is about to share and how her perspective was radically altered regarding the Jewish people.

As the wife of a Baptist minister in a suburb of North-West London, Clare had contact with many Jewish families in the neighbourhood but admits that her particular brand of Western-based Christianity was devoid of the Jewish-rootedness that might have had an influence. Then one day she received an invitation to go on a study tour based at Yad Vashem and, encouraged by her husband who had enthusiastically returned from a previous tour, she set out on a journey of discovery and transformation.

This is a delightful and well-written book, wonderfully descriptive and full of rich phrases.

The key moment was at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Among the towering stones of that great city surrounded by Orthodox Jewish women clutching scriptures and muttering prayers, she experienced a divine encounter. Clare relates it "was as if I had pressed my palm against His cheek and He held me there with his gaze...[then came] just a whisper, a fleeting thing, but there was nothing more real to me in that moment...the glimpse of God's heart in these simple words: 'I love these people. I love this place'" (p20).

From that moment of revelation came a whole new perspective and a deep conviction that Jerusalem is being prepared for a homecoming. Its King will return one day.

Preparations for His Return

After sharing more details of her personal awakening and what this would now mean in terms of her ministry and calling, Clare spends the rest of the book encouraging us to anticipate Christ's return and to recognise God's preparation of the Jewish people to receive him as their King. Her use of Scripture is accurate and helpful. In all her writing she has a gentle approach, reminding us of basic biblical truths rather than being demanding or insistent.

In one chapter she starts to unpack what God is doing in the Islamic nations. "All the while that God is...opening eyes to the importance of Israel, He is newly awakening a group of people who have been imprisoned in darkness for too long: the Muslims" (p95). She recounts how all across the Middle East and North Africa Muslims are having dreams and visions of Jesus in what she calls "a wave of God's saving power" (p95). This cannot be coincidence! Her analysis of this significant move of God (a rescue mission) is clear and firm.

Clare's use of her own personal testimony is a special and possibly unique way into looking at God's purposes for Israel.

Clare also wants us to be aware that what she is writing about falls into the sphere of spiritual warfare and that there is a need for watchmen (and women). She talks also about the Jew-hatred that is spreading across Europe and exhorts us as Christians "to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters, advocating on their behalf, standing against the propaganda and lies that muddy the waters and blind us to the anti-Semitism that underpins much of this distortion" (p116).

Inspiring and Heart-warming

Finally, she encourages the Church to restore its Hebraic roots and explore its Jewish heritage, especially the biblical feasts. As always there is a sensitive though forthright consideration of what needs to be done to make a real difference.

This may not be a theological book full of doctrine but it is biblical, embracing many prophetic scriptures, and how she came to believe them – and why we should too! Her testimony is inspiring and heart-warming. After her life-changing trip to Israel she acknowledges a remarkable shift in her heart, impacting her emotions as well as her thinking. It is this she wishes to share, and through the pages of this book she has indeed done this extremely well. Highly recommended.

The Returning King (160 pages) is available to purchase from CFI for £9. Also available from Amazon.

Clifford Denton draws his series to a close by offering his own perspective on 'the Rapture' and other hotly anticipated end times events.

Having written this short series with the primary purpose of encouraging each of us to study the end time scriptures for ourselves, individually and in groups, it would be unwise for me now to promote my own interpretations of these passages using details gleaned from my own studies.

Nevertheless, a few further ideas are worth sharing to bring the series to a conclusion and to illustrate the method of studying we have endorsed through it.

The Overall Framework is Vital

The end time scriptures should be read in the context of the whole of Scripture. God is completing his covenant plan – and so the end of time should be seen in the context of the whole of time. When we realise this, and no longer dip into the end time scriptures in isolation, not only will they become clearer but we will also be less prone to error caused by taking passages out of context.

The path to the future is a walk with the Holy Spirit, during which details previously obscured to us are made clearer as they become more relevant. Nevertheless, there are principles we can study – broader themes in which the detailed events of the end are embedded - which reassure us, protect us against deception and help us to prepare.

These include principles of covenant, God's plans and promises for Israel, the Feasts of the Lord, types and shadows of world history (especially the prominent empires of Bible times) and the centrality of Jesus. These are the main threads of the tapestry into which all time, including the end times, is set.

The end of time should be seen in the context of the whole of time – end time scriptures should not be dipped into in isolation.

From Shadows to Fulfilment

For example, the Feasts of the Lord are shadows of the main events of covenant history. Year after year, Israel was to observe these Feasts as a preparation for what was to come. The seven Feasts are Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Shavuot (Pentecost), Rosh HaShannah (Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Tabernacles).

We know that these Feasts are shadows of covenant history because of the way the first four were fulfilled by Jesus. Passover and Unleavened Bread pointed to his sacrificial death. Jesus was the Firstfuit of those being saved and the giving of his Holy Spirit fulfilled Pentecost.

Many scriptures in the Old Testament (Tanach) shed further light on how God begins with types and shadows and ends with fulfilment at the right time. Passover relates to the types and shadows of Israel's experience in Egypt and deliverance under Moses. Moses becomes a type and shadow of Jesus. Pentecost relates to the giving of the Law at Sinai and gives us a framework for understanding the relationship between Torah and the fulfilment of the New Covenant in the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Yet to Come

The last three Feasts are shadows pointing to Jesus' return. If many Jews did not recognise his fulfilment of the earlier Feasts, how much more must we take seriously the entirety of Scripture in preparation for his return? Indeed, his return is the central event of end time scriptures, completing God's chief aim throughout all history – the reversal of the Fall.

It has taken many centuries for this plan to be outworked. It is easy to get lost in the details of everyday life and forget this priority during the short span of our individual lives. All of history, especially the history of Israel, with so many types and shadows to teach us, is a preparation for the coming Kingdom.

The Feasts of the Lord are shadows of the main events of covenant history – the first four were fulfilled by Jesus.

God's Purposes for the Church...and Israel

For 2,000 years, a prominent emphasis has been the spread of the Gospel to the entire world. So prominent has this been, that it is sometimes mistakenly thought that God's purpose for the Christian Church in the Gentile world is the only focus of the end times. Some Christian theologies have taken the New Testament out of context of the Old Testament, neglecting God's continuing purposes for Israel and his bringing about of the One New Man of Ephesians 2.

Could the detaching of our concept of 'the Church' from the full picture of God's purposes be the reason for so much anticipation by many Christians for 'the Rapture'? Many are expecting to be taken, soon, out of these times. But is there not a journey to go yet which will be for further refining and for opportunities for witness in a world gravitating toward the time of a final one world system?

For this reason, I would like to make a brief comment on my own view of the times of tribulation and the timing for God's intervention on behalf of his own people.

Rapture?

I prefer not to use the term rapture. For one thing, different Christians mean different things by it. For another, though I understand the reason for the choice of the word rapture, it is not a biblical term.

The closest we can get in biblical terms to studying what this event may look like is the protection of the Israelites in Goshen during the plagues of Egypt, the protection from the angel of death at the first Passover and the protection of Noah's family at the Flood when God judged the entire world. Such comparisons illustrate the extreme circumstances that we expect the world to reach prior to the return of Jesus, and the time when we will need special protection when God's judgments begin to fall on the world.

All of history, especially the history of Israel, is a preparation for the coming Kingdom.

Scripture clearly indicates that the world will reach a point when some will be taken and some left (the event of Matthew 24:40-41). This is emphasised in a different way by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (the trumpet call and Jesus' disciples being caught up in the clouds, meeting the Lord in the air).

The nature and timing of this event must be considered with caution as the future unfolds. If we see this event outside of the principle of the One New Man of disciples from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, I believe an error is likely, especially the idea that 'the Church' will be 'raptured' to leave God to deal with the Jews.

My personal view is that there will be a distinction between the difficult days of the Anti-Christ (the Great Tribulation, described in the earlier chapters of Revelation) and the time of woes such as fell on Egypt (the bowls of judgment) beginning from Revelation 15. This is because of the "Immediately after" of Matthew 24:29, which leads me to consider the events described after this verse as fitting after the difficult days of the Anti-Christ.

My view is that we will need to persevere through the days of the Anti-Christ (called the Great Tribulation) and then expect God's intervention when he protects us from the days of wrath, taking us to a place of safety.

Jesus warned us not to listen to deceiving words about his coming so we must be careful what we listen to in these days, especially when interpreting the times prior to his return. Paul also warned about this when he wrote to the Thessalonians. He said that we must expect a great falling away prior to Jesus returning for his people and establishing his rule on earth (2 Thess 2).

Many Christians overly anticipate 'the Rapture' – have we detached our concept of 'the Church' from the full picture of God's purposes?

How We Read Scripture Determines How We Live

The way we read the end time scriptures influences the way we prepare for the days ahead and live our lives today. This is still an era for witness, for the strengthening of God's people through days of trial on the earth, for pure living, for watching and praying.

Too early an expectation of deliverance from the world system will lead us to passivity, unreality and poor preparation, possibly through lack of vigilance. When our views of a soon-to-come rapture remain unfulfilled, we may find ourselves more like the foolish virgins than the wise ones, giving up on active watching and waiting because we feel confused or let down.

144,000 from the Tribes of Israel

My own searching of the scriptures has also led me to ask questions about the 144,000 of Revelation 7 and 14, which are puzzling until one is given some keys of understanding. It is quite possible to resist the ideas of the Jehovah's Witnesses but still be left with a mystery! Are these literal numbers or figurative? Why is Israel singled out from the other 'tribes' of the world?

Surely God is reminding us that the Tribes of Israel will be retained in their pure (virgin) state, identifiable from the rest of the world, as a sign of God's faithfulness to his Covenant¹ - but what of the 144,000? With that question at the back of my mind I thought I had perceived a clue when I read about the 100,000 lambs that Mesha, King of Moab, gave to Jehoram (2 Kings 3:4). That is a large number of lambs, if taken literally, for a tribal King in Moab to give regularly to the King of Israel. However, a study of the Hebrew for one thousand, the word eleph shows that this can be a literal number or a large number of a more general kind – a word for a large group such as a flock.

This makes more sense - not 100,000 lambs, but 100 large flocks. If we take the English of Revelation 7 back through the Greek from which it came back again to the Hebrew foundations, could this not be true for Israel too, that the 12,000 of each tribe are 12 large groups from each tribe (clans, say)? The picture clarifies if this is so: God will gather Israel as a nation of tribes and clans, just as it was in the old days. Our literal mind-set finds such figurative language hard, but this picture is compelling and reasonable.

The way we read the end time scriptures influences the way we prepare for the days ahead and live our lives today.

Yet the question still lingers at the back of the mind and one comes to another notable parallel. The times of Messiah in Isaiah 9 are likened to the times of Midian's defeat (Isa 9:4-5). This takes us back to Numbers 31, where Moses (a shadow of Messiah) was told to take revenge on Midian for what they did through the seduction of Balaam to cause Israel to intermarry with the Midianites. Such an act had the potential of assimilating Israel into the world. 1,000 warriors from each of Israel's 12 tribes was chosen to administer God's judgment on Midian.

This too echoes into the 12,000 from each tribe mentioned in Revelation 7 and 14, giving yet another emphasis on the imagery used by God. God will choose 12,000 from each of the Tribes of Israel as witnesses to his Covenant faithfulness. This time the victory is not over Midian but over the powers of satan, so that many will be redeemed through the shed blood of Jesus.

Perhaps both the above interpretations will prove true – and perhaps there is still more to see. My point is to illustrate that the whole of Scripture has light to shed on the topic of the end times – indeed, on whichever theme we are studying.

Finally...

If I were to select one final principle to have in mind as we proceed with our studies of the end times it comes from the very last chapter of the Book of Isaiah. In the context of proclamations concerning the end times, God said:

...on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word. (Isa 66:2)

The days we are entering will fulfil the final prophecies of the Bible. It is not a time for the headstrong. Let us listen to one another as we walk with the Lord, let us watch and pray according to Jesus' command, and let us test everything - being students of the whole of Scripture (more so than of the books being written by others today). Let us be those who tremble at his word.

Notes

1 There is a puzzle about the fact that Dan is not mentioned. I am still pondering on this, but it may be related to the situation right back in the days of the Judges, when the Tribe of Dan turned to idolatry (Judg 18) and so became treated by God like other idolatrous nations. This does not mean that the descendants of Dan are completely lost, but that they will hear the Gospel from a position of being mixed among the peoples of the world. Of course there may be other things as yet unseen that will shed light on this - or perhaps we must simply leave it in God's hands.

Clifford Denton continues his series on the end times by looking at Jesus' illustrative teaching.

In an earlier article we made the point that Scripture must be read in a meditative way, allowing the Holy Spirit to interpret what we read, rather than over-analysing it in our own strength. There is a stark contrast between the Hebraic faith-motivated life and the Greek philosophical mind-set that is of this world. Which way of thinking we adopt has a bearing on how we approach Scripture, including the end time scriptures and the illustrative language used by God.

Our God teaches us through visions, figurative language, parables, etc, speaking to our hearts through familiar images. Difficult though some of these are to understand, we must not consider them as puzzles to unravel - but illustrations that God uses on our walk with him.

Our Walk with God

Because the Western mindset can be over-analytical, it has led some to seek cut-and-dried formulae for the end times. This is not God's way. He speaks to us heart to heart to encourage us on a walk with him. Our God is near to us, and looks for our fellowship. Indeed, he abides in his people by the presence and power of his Holy Spirit. He is not a distant God who gives us formulae to live by independent of him.

Our New Covenant relationship is for the purpose of securing our walk with him. It is on this walk that we prayerfully study the scriptures pointing to the way ahead with sufficient clarity for today.

Our God is not a distant God who gives us formulae to live by independent of him – he is near to us and wants to walk with us.

Prophetic Insights Along the Way

The visions and dreams along the way sometimes seem to be engulfed in strange mystery that is hard to unravel. Some aspects might be revealed for the time in which the mystery is given, with other applications becoming clear later on. Kept in balance with our daily walk with him, however, we always have enough insight to encourage us for the present, warn us about where we might slip off track, and set a vision and a hope before us for the future.

If there is mystery to be unravelled, it will be unravelled by the Lord on our walk with him. If he revealed everything fully to us ahead of time, our walk would all too quickly become independent of him.

The Parables

As for all Scripture, in reading the parables we must resist the temptation of over-analysis and simply let the Lord speak, within the limits he intends. This too is part of the walk. Though parables are mysteries to those who are not given insight (Matt 13:11) the Holy Spirit gives understanding to Jesus' disciples. Parables bring a clear teaching on a certain theme for immediate application and also have ongoing relevance.

Each portion of Jesus' teaching through the parables is for a specific purpose, within intended limits and one aspect of the whole truth. On the one hand, his pictures are so carefully and appropriately chosen that it is good to read and re-read the same passages to deepen our understanding. On the other hand, if we try and push too hard we may add to what the Lord is saying, or create bias or even error.

Jesus' parables each had a specific purpose when they were told – but they also have ongoing relevance today as the Holy Spirit reveals understanding to us.

Multi-faceted Truth in Visions, Pictures and Parables

The end time teaching of the Bible contains a multitude of illustrations from God. Here are some of them by way of example:

• Horses among myrtle trees (Zech 1:8)
• Joshua the High Priest (Zech 3)
• Lampstand and olive trees (Zech 4)
• Flying scroll (Zech 5)
• Woman in a basket (Zech 5)
• Four chariots (Zech 6)
• A burning oven (Mal 4:1)
• Valley of dry bones (Ezek 37)
• Gog and Magog (Ezek 38)
• A sacrificial meal (Ezek 39:17-20)
• Nebuchadezzar's dream of a statue (Dan 2)
• Vision of a ram and goat (Dan 8)
• A sealed scroll (Dan 12:4)
• Seals, trumpets, bowls, woman and dragon, Babylon etc (Revelation)

There is much more we could add to this list, but it is sufficient to remind us that God uses a wide variety of images to speak to his people. Any individual illustration is a study of just one aspect of the whole truth. We must read everything in context of the whole and, in our walk with God into the future, allow him to bring further clarity at the right time.

The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Jesus' parables are among the clearest of Bible teaching and each have a particular emphasis. They include the parables of the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:21-35), the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16), the withered fig tree (Matt 21:18-22), the vinedressers (Matt 21:33-46), the growing fig tree (Matt 24:32-35), the wise and foolish virgins (Matt 25:1-13) and the talents (Matt 25:14-30). Like all illustrations in Scripture, however, they must not be taken beyond the point of his teaching, and must be kept within the context of the whole.

The parable of the wise and foolish virgins is especially important to us in these days. So let us be clear about what Jesus is teaching us through it - since it is a wonderful illustration for a particular purpose, but no more. Some modern Bible teachers have forced it to say more than was ever intended.

Because of its importance there has rightly been much attention drawn to it. Yet it is such a wonderful picture, pointing to the return of Jesus, that some have gone too far and extracted a formula for the end times from it.

Jesus' parables draw on familiar experiences of mankind, especially familiar in the days when they were first spoken. He draws our attention to what he wants to say by stirring our hearts and minds on matters that are meaningful and important to us – in this case the preparations that precede a wedding in ordinary human life. Jesus stirred the hearts of his listeners through a story of a bridegroom who had delayed his coming. Some of those waiting retained their watchfulness and expectation of his coming and some drifted away into apathy and sleepiness.

Jesus' parables draw on experiences that are familiar to us – he emphasises his message by stirring our hearts with matters that are meaningful to us.

The story prompts us to the context of his coming. It will be as wonderful as the best of human marriages, but the emphasis is not so much on the wedding as on how we should wait for him. The message to us is to "watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matt 25:13). This is our great teacher at work, emphasising his message and giving us a picture to emphasise the importance of it.

This could not be more important for the days in which we live, because we all can be prone to giving up and misinterpreting what we heard about his return. We are encouraged to watch and wait prayerfully for the wonderful final point of the end times.

Yet, for all its importance, this is not a formula for the end times. It is one of a number of images likened to his coming: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like..." not "The Kingdom of heaven is...". Some have pushed this parable so far as to make it a formula. Because the picture is in the context of a coming wedding and because the imagery of a wedding is used elsewhere (for example, the picture of Jesus preparing a place for us likened to many mansions (John 14:2)), some have used it to construct a detailed picture of the end times based on the order of events in a Middle Eastern marriage of Jesus' day, even to the extent of predicting the time of Jesus' return and supporting certain rapture theories. This fascinates those who are drawn in but perhaps extracts from the parable more than Jesus intended.

Even though there is plenty of teaching on aspects of the end times, we must be careful not to use a parable given for a specific purpose to draw more from it than was intended. This is true of every other aspect of Jesus' illustrations preparing us for his coming - whether spoken plainly or in mysteries.

Learning to Read End Time Scripture for Ourselves

Even through mysteries, God does not send us a puzzle to solve when he speaks to us through symbolic or visionary means. He often relates what he wants us to know with something familiar like a marriage, a fig tree, a sealed message, etc, as an anchor for his teaching. He wants us to understand – not to be confused!

Whether it be the symbol of a bridegroom returning, an owner returning to his vineyard, an investor returning to retrieve his investment or a fig tree blossoming, let us read the scriptures through the Spirit and let the key truth achieve the Lord's purposes, within the limits he intends.

Our Lord is coming. Let us watch and pray both individually and together as for a wonderful event like a wedding. Let us walk into the future in the Spirit of God, prayerfully considering all aspects of what the Bible says as we go, dependent on him, not according to a formula that we have sought to extract, or one passed on to us by others.

Next time: Some personal perspectives.

Olympic athletes give praise where it is really due.

As the Olympic Games has shown increasing signs of returning to its pagan roots,¹ and as its promotion of world peace and unity was tarnished this year by the hostility shown to the 47-member Israeli delegation,² the humility (amid personal brilliance) of a few outstanding Christian competitors has shone out like stars in a darkened universe.

For Britain, bursting with pride after collecting a staggering 67 medals and finishing second in the table to the United States, it was an event to savour after some of our politicians had downplayed patriotism in favour of staying within the European Union. But the prowess of our athletes isn't enough; what the human body can achieve should not be an opportunity for self-congratulation, but for giving honour where it is really due.

Niekerk, Felix and the Fiji Rugby Sevens

This was the case for South African athlete Wayde van Niekerk, who gave glory to God just moments after his spectacular win in the 400 metres – echoing the gold medal won in the same event at the 1924 Paris Olympics by legendary Scottish athlete Eric Liddell, who went on to be a missionary in China.³

Holding up his running spikes, imprinted with the words 'Jesus I am all yours, use me' after breaking Michael Johnson's 17-year-old record with a time of 43.03 seconds, Wayde told the BBC: "The only thing I can do now is to give God praise. I went on my knees each and every day and I told the Lord to take care of me every step of the way."⁴

His achievement is all the more amazing as he had to fight for his life when entering the world as a 2lb premature baby in Cape Town 24 years ago.

The humility shown by various Christian Olympians has shone out like stars in the universe.

Also giving praise to Jesus was American pastor's daughter Allyson Felix after winning two golds (4 x 100 and 4 x 400 metres) and a silver medal in the 400 metres individual. Describing her ability as a gift from God, she said: "For me, my faith is the reason I run. I definitely feel I have this amazing gift that God has blessed me with, and it's all about using it to the best of my ability."⁵

But she has suffered pain and disappointment over the years, explaining: "It is with injuries my faith really plays a part because I know I'm able to look at the bigger picture and see that God has a plan for my life and that this is also part of it. I can't imagine my life without Jesus. I can't imagine just waking up and going through life without Him. He is my life and that's what I live for. I have learned that track doesn't define me. My faith defines me. I'm running because I have been blessed with a gift."⁶

The Fiji sevens pray after their gold medal win.And what about the Fijian rugby sevens team who, after winning gold by beating Team GB in the final for their country's first ever Olympic medal, got down on their knees to praise and thank the Lord who is clearly first in their hearts!

As London vicar Andy Palmer⁷ put it, they were reflecting the attitude shown by Israel's King David in penning Psalm 104 that, whatever we achieve as humans, we are merely God's creation and he is far greater than us – he is the one to be praised!

So let's take inspiration from these Olympic heroes who understand that there is a bigger picture to our lives; that Jesus wants to win our hearts and a life lived without him is ultimately empty and meaningless.

Running for the Eternal Prize

The Apostle Paul was clearly familiar with the ancient Olympics, making several references to athletics in his letters to the early Christians. In a rebuke to the Galatians who had been deceived by false teaching, he scolds: "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?" (Gal 5:7).

To the Philippians, he encourages them to join him as he presses on "towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14).

To Timothy his protégé, he urges: "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (1 Tim 4:7f).

And again to Timothy he declares: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Tim 4:7f).

Whatever we achieve as humans, we are merely God's creation and he is far greater than us – he is the one to be praised!

Yes, there is a prize for which we can all strive, as St Paul reminds the Corinthians: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" (1 Cor 9:24-27).

And in the letter to the Hebrews, we are urged to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross..." (Heb 12:2).

So we can learn from athletes of the necessity for strict training in our spiritual lives, because we are not running aimlessly, but for a crown that will last forever.

Personal Testimony

Having competed in many marathons, I have been hugely inspired by these scriptures over the years, encouraging me to keep going, and not give up, even though it hurts and the road ahead seems so long and arduous.

The only occasion I didn't finish a race – 'hitting a wall'⁸ after 22 miles in the 1972 Scottish Marathon – made me realise there was more to life than running, that God had a purpose and plan for my life. And within a week I had asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour.

I have never looked back. I see this as a picture of Britain, a nation that has been running away from God in a fruitless race to nowhere. But now, perhaps shaken up by the Brexit vote, we have finally run out of steam, leaving us in a position to once more consider the claims of the Jewish Messiah who has helped historically to make our country great.

The True Treasure

'Britain's golden age' was how one tabloid described our success at Rio. Perhaps that is stretching it too far, but if we shift our emphasis to a pursuit of discovering our true purpose instead of a relentless striving after earthly comfort and material benefits, there is a 'pot of gold'⁹ at the end of the rainbow, and it's found in the person of Jesus Christ, who said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no-one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn 14:6).

Or, as a Jewish friend told me, Jesus is the only one who can take us to the finish line and award us the greatest medal of all – forgiveness of sin and eternal life!

Notes

1 We have been reminded, in a Christianity Today article by Steven Gertz, that the Olympics was lost to the world for 1,500 years after being outlawed by the Roman Emperor Theodosius in 393 AD for being too pagan. Not only did it involve gory violence and naked competitors, but pigs and bulls were sacrificed to pagan gods, to whom athletes swore allegiance (apparently Theodosius was strongly influenced by Bishop Ambrose of Milan). Alarmingly, the current Olympian anthem calls on an "ancient eternal spirit" – clearly with no connection to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – to bless its endeavours.

2 An Egyptian judo competitor was sent home after refusing to shake the hand of his Israeli rival Or Sasson, who went on to win a bronze medal – somewhat ironic as the two countries have been at peace for 37 years – and the Lebanese Olympic delegation was reprimanded after blocking Israeli athletes from entering a bus they were supposed to share.

3 The subject of the film Chariots of Fire, Liddell elected not to run his favoured race, the 100 metres, because the heats were held on a Sunday – the Lord's Day – and surprised everyone with his brilliant run in the longer event. He went on to preach the gospel in China and died prematurely in a Japanese internment camp during World War II. But his legacy lives on – ultimately his whole life was run as a race to complete the work to which Jesus had called him.

4 See Farley, H. Wayde van Niekerk glorifies God after winning men's 400m: 'JESUS DID IT'. Christianity Today, 15 August 2016.

5 See Allyson Felix – the golden girl acknowledges the true champion. Real Life Stories.

6 Ibid.

7 Rev Andy Palmer is vicar of St John's, Downshire Hill, in Hampstead.

8 An expression used by marathon runners to indicate complete inability to go any further.

9 According to the Bible, all believers can look forward to living in a city of pure gold (Rev 21:18).

How does Revelation relate to other Bible passages on the end times?

The Prophets of the Old Testament spoke out of the context of God's dealings with Israel and Judah. Much of what they said echoed back to the Great Flood or to Israel's deliverance from Egypt, and much was in the time-frame and context of the Babylonian captivity.

Their message was directly applicable to those difficult days but also carried with it a sense of fulfilment yet to come. Today we can see the types and shadows of Israel's experience more clearly, especially when we seek insights concerning the days ahead.

Jesus Fulfils the Prophets

The key to understanding how the Prophets spoke in veiled terms about the end times is revealed in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, when Jesus spoke of the signs of his return. He brought clarity to what the Prophets proclaimed accurately but which had hitherto been understood only in vague visionary terms.

The Book of Revelation came later. Hence, it is wise to study the end time prophecies of the Old Testament first, so that the Book of Revelation is read in context. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 act as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments.

Jesus brought clarity to what the Prophets had proclaimed about the end times.

The Book of Revelation: Why?

The early disciples did not have the Book of Revelation for at least 35 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. They had enough from the Tanakh (Old Testament) and what Jesus had told them prior to his death to prepare for his coming. Yet John was given substantially greater insights whilst on the Island of Patmos, which he passed on to Jesus' later disciples. There must be a reason.

One reason, surely, was the persecution of Jesus' disciples under the Roman Empire, and the scattering of Israel around 70 AD. Further comfort was needed: the same sort of comfort afforded by Paul to the Thessalonians (1 Thess 4-5; 2 Thess 2). Another reason is because of the difficult times that lie ahead as the end times draw near. These times are likened to Israel in Babylon and the world under Rome - also the time of Noah.

When we read the Book of Revelation, therefore, we must read it as further insights on what had already been revealed to God's people by the earlier Prophets and by Jesus. Taking Matthew 24 as our reference, let's see how it all fits together.

Revelation provides further insights on what had already been revealed through the Prophets and through Jesus.

First: An Overview

John's revelation on the Island of Patmos was as powerful as the heavenly visions given to Isaiah (Isa 6), Ezekiel (Ezek 1) and Daniel (Dan 7-12). At times through angelic presence, at times through direct communication from the risen Lord Jesus, at times through vision (whether symbolic or literal), John was given what Jesus wants his disciples to know.

Revelation 1 is the beginning of Jesus' communication from Heaven to earth, demanding a profound encounter with John, and then proceeding in the down-to-earth description of various Church congregations (with which John would have been familiar), with warnings and commendations.

Seven congregations are addressed directly (Rev 2-3). Jesus showed that his presence was among his people in their congregations and that nothing was hidden from him - whether things worthy of commendation or things deserving criticism.

Surely we, in later days, were intended to know that these things are also true of our own congregations. The Book of Revelation puts our down-to-earth church experience in the context of what John was shown of the heavenly realms. Jesus has shown us these things because we too will need these reassurances and pieces of advice.

The early disciples heard these truths in terms of the persecutions of Rome. We hear them in the context of a coming world empire likened to Babylon. Chiefly, then, we read Revelation in the context of the Old Testament Prophets and the teaching of Jesus.

Revelation puts our down-to-earth church experience in the context of the heavenly realms.

The World to Come

As we develop a picture of the world to come, although we will not have the full understanding until the time comes, God cultivates within us a joyous expectation of final victory. The end chapters of Revelation are rich with symbolism, the meaning of which is not always obvious, but when read as God intends, they still convey to the heart a sense of truth and expectation.

Some things, as Paul said, are like looking through a glass dimly (1 Cor 13:12). We see the general form and have an idea of the vague outline, but our understanding will only be clarified as these things unfold – as our experience of eternity is made real.

From Chapter 4 onwards our attention is drawn to heavenly perspectives – the awesomeness of the heavenly throne-room and the activities and perspectives that are going on there, particularly in relation to our earthly experience. In the midst of life on earth, how easily we forget how close the Lord is in the unseen heavenlies!

We need a vision of this heavenly reality in order to put the coming pressures of our earthly experience into their true context. We are not alone. The coming events on earth will be totally within the purposes and Sovereign control of God, despite the powers of evil holding sway for a short time.

We need a vision of the heavenly reality to comfort and reassure us through the coming trials.

Heaven and Earth in Our Day

Jesus, in Matthew 24 (and parallel passages in Mark and Luke), described the way we would experience this on earth. Now, through Revelation, we see it from the heavenly perspective. That is what the Book of Revelation adds to what we already learn from the rest of the Bible.

The descriptions of the Seven Congregations and the Throne Room in Heaven give us this contrast, and shows us the seriousness of the experiences we will go through on earth. They are neither random, nor in the hands and purposes of man, but under the authority and sovereignty of God.

The Seals symbolise God's release of the prophesied final events of earth's history. The possibility for their release is because Jesus has now given himself as a sacrifice for sin so that the entire world can, for the time allocated by God, hear the Gospel (Rev 5) prior to the final judgment.

To illustrate how this fits with the rest of end times Scripture, let us see how the events described in Revelation are very similar – even the same as those Jesus described from an earthly perspective in Matthew 24.

A comparison of Revelation 6-8 with Matthew 24 (not definitive).
Comparing the Two Lists and Their Purpose

It is no coincidence that these two lists are so compatible - Jesus' description of the signs of his coming is repeated in Revelation from a heavenly perspective, which shows us that all is in the awesome hand of God. We will need this assurance as the times move forward and events intensify. It will give us sufficient insight to comfort us through those days.

Revelation 10-19 puts these same events in the context of our world largely taken over by the powers of satan until such a time that God brings an end to it. satan is only working under God's permissive will.

A world power will come to the fore with the power of satan behind it, also within God's permissive will, with the end he has in view then finally coming to pass. The signs of Jesus' coming are put into the context of evil taking hold of the world, an evil from which Jesus' disciples must withdraw whilst watching and prayerfully waiting patiently for him.

Much of the heavenly revelation in these chapters is symbolic and dramatic to show us that there is much happening in the unseen heavens, behind and beyond our earthly experience.

Revelation reassures and comforts us that the events to come are all in the awesome hand of God.

The Return of Jesus – The Certain Climax of it All

In the end there will be the dramatic return of Jesus with authority to judge all people, when his victory over death will be made real to all that have faith in him and when his Lordship will be revealed to all (Rom 14:11; Isa 45:23).

Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 are clear down-to-earth descriptions of those times. The Book of Revelation introduces us to the fact that there is an awesome heavenly perspective behind the scenes of what will be experienced on this earth. Our response to this awesome picture is to hold in faith for the final outcome, rather than to work out a detailed formula ahead of time predicting all that will take place.

Next time: The Parable of the wise and foolish virgins

Clifford Denton considers Jesus' teaching on the end times - and how it sheds new light on Old Testament prophecy.

Messianic expectation is a thread that weaves its way through the entire Old Testament. However, until Jesus the Son of God came to earth, the Messianic scriptures were open to interpretation - as were the scriptures that described the world situation at the end of time.

The interpretations of the chief Rabbinical schools could be so wide of the mark that the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection after death (Matt 22:23). There was much down-to-earth expectation that the prophetic scriptures would be fulfilled on this earth.

For instance, many would have wondered if the occupation of Israel by Rome was the fulfilment of many of the end times passages in the Prophetic books, including the last chapters of Ezekiel and Daniel. This strong belief contributed to Jesus being rejected as Messiah and crucified as a false prophet.

Before Jesus, scriptures about the coming Messiah were open to interpretation – as were those about the end times.

New Light on the Prophets

In the plainest of language, Jesus' explanation of the signs of his return (recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) sheds new light on the end time prophetic scriptures. Christians tend to read these scriptures in a forward-looking way, but the first disciples would also have looked back to understand in a new way what the Prophets had spoken. So in speaking of the signs of his coming, Jesus prompted his disciples to reconsider the Tanakh (Old Testament) in a new way and a new context.

It was at last possible to interpret the Old Testament prophecies with clarity and connect them up with New Testament prophecy. This is profound! It is as profound as the re-interpretation of the Passover from the exodus out of Egypt to the new birth of the New Covenant. It is as profound as an interpretation of end time scriptures from a focus on an earthly Kingdom in this age to the coming Kingdom of God in a New Heaven and a New Earth.

Connecting Prophecy Across the Testaments

Ezekiel 37-39, for example, can be re-read in the context of Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. For some Israelites these chapters built an expectation of fulfilment at the time of Rome's rise to power under the Caesars, their world Empire and their domination of Israel. Israel's Messianic expectation was for release from this dominant world empire.

The same is true of Daniel 11-12. Whilst the rise of the abomination of desolation of Daniel 11:31 might once have been attributed to Antiochus Epiphanes, the Hellenistic Seleucid conqueror of Israel, Jesus pointed to a greater fulfilment yet to come (Matt 2:15).

With Jesus' revelations, it became possible to interpret the Old Testament prophecies with new clarity.

Within the command to watch and pray would be the expectation that Jesus' disciples would continue to seek understanding of the times when all these prophecies would be fulfilled.

How far removed Jesus' disciples were from this understanding can be seen in Peter's suggestion when Jesus was transfigured (Matt 17:4) that three tabernacles (sukkot) be constructed, one each for Jesus. Moses and Elijah. He seems to have thought that this was the time of fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles - the time when Messiah would come to rule on earth.

Thus Jesus' answer to the question about the signs of his coming (Matt 24:3) would have put a context to all the Messianic scriptures and their fulfilment. While the message of the biblical prophets was couched in mystery, Jesus made their interpretation plain, and caused the disciples to begin to read them afresh and look forward to what would come upon the earth.

Jesus Interprets the Prophets

God prepared the way in the prophecies of the Old Testament for what would come upon this earth at the end of time – and Jesus made these earlier prophecies clear. The events that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24, all in the context of Old Testament prophecy, are:

• Times of deception (24:4)
• False Messiahs (24:5)
• Wars and rumours of wars (24:6)
• Famines, plagues and earthquakes (24:7)
• Great tribulation upon Jesus' disciples and upon his people (24:8-9)
• Division, hate and betrayal (24:10)
• False prophets (24:11)
• Lawlessness (24:12)
• Lack of love among people (24:12)
• A call to endure through these trials with promised salvation to those who hold firm to the end (24:13)
• The Gospel being preached to all nations prior to the end and prior to Jesus' return (24:14)
• A warning sign of the abomination of desolation (24:15)
• Continued warnings of troubled times and how to respond to them (24:15-28)
• Post-tribulation signs in the universe (24:29-30)
• The sign of the Son of Man (24:30)
• Post-tribulation gathering of the elect (24:31)
• Parable of the fig tree, symbolic of the restoration of Israel (24:32)
• Some taken and some left (24:36-42)

Jesus also made it clear how his followers are to behave in the midst of these events, emphasising the importance of watching (24:42) and of maintaining faith, persevering through trials (24:42-49). He also emphasised the surprise element, explaining that nobody will know the exact time of his return – only the signs (24:42-44).

In summary, Jesus told his disciples clearly what to expect and how to respond to the circumstances coming upon the world. He did not give them a time-line so much as a set of events - some of which overlap, others of which are in sequence. Verses 3 to 14 contain the first statement of the events. Verses 15 to 28 address those same events and (following the therefore in verse 15) show us how to respond when a specific sign is seen.

Jesus told his disciples clearly what to expect and how to respond – but he did not give them a time-line.

Verse 29 indicates that Jesus will not return until after this great tribulation. At that time, it will be comparable to the time of Noah (24:37) and this is the time that some will be taken and some left on the earth.

We know from God's covenant with Noah that there will not be a judgment by flood (Gen 9:8-11), so we are left to wonder what the fate of those left on the earth might be.

End Time Fulfilment of Old Testament Prophecy

Our first priority in reading Matthew 24 is to relate it to what the Prophets had already said about the end times. Later, after Jesus had left to be with the Father, further prophecy was given to John, recorded as the Book of Revelation. Just as Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 interpreted prophecies of the Old Testament, so they also interpret Revelation.

This gives us a method of reading Revelation - reading it in the context of both Jesus' clear description of the events of the end times and also what the Old Testament Prophets revealed.

With markers in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and by cross-reference to the prophecies of the Old Testament, we see how the mysterious visions of John echo what Jesus had already told his disciples in the context of what the entire Bible says.

Read the Book of Revelation for yourself and let's look at it together next time.

Next time: Comparing the Book of Revelation with Matthew 24.