October 8, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 13

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 13 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 8 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

9Whoever has ears, let them hear.

10“If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
with the sword they will be killed.”

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

11Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. 12It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people. 14Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

18This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
(Revelation 13:1-18)

Reading Revelation can be difficult. What do we make of the signs? How do we interpret the creatures coming in and out of various scenes? What do the visions mean for us today? Today, I ask how the readers at that time understood the visions and symbolism.

Broadly, there are two segments to chapter 12. The first describes the beast coming out of the sea, with ten horns, seven heads, ten crowns on each horn, and a blasphemous name on each head. This beast is formidable, leading the observer to comment: “Who can make war against him?” For a time, the beast continues to blaspheme, make war, and even cause inhabitants on the earth to worship the beast. Such inhabitants are those who have not bowed down to God.

The second segment is about the beast coming out of the earth. Likewise, it is mighty and violent in its own way, but seems to be even more formidable than the first beast. At the end, it says that it is “man’s number” which is 666. The way I see it, it is an idol that stems from the makings and idolatry of man. The number is a symbol of absolute imperfection. Number six is one number less from the perfect. Man tries to be like God on his own strength, but fails to reach perfection on his own. Three times he tried, and still he fails.

For both visions of beasts, John records an encouragement for the believer. The first encouragement is in verse 10, where the believer is urged to endure patiently and faithfully. The second encouragement is in verse 18, which calls for wisdom and discernment.

It is a reminder to us that even though the world can try to overwhelm the believer, the believer has a Guide and Word from God to lead them out of the blues and the devastation. For God is in control.

***************

Time for Reflection: “Do not be lazy. Run each day’s race with all your might, so that at the end you will receive the victory wreath from God. Keep on running even when you have had a fall. The victory wreath is won by him who does not stay down, but always gets up again, grasps the banner of faith and keeps on running in the assurance that Jesus is Victor.” (Basilea Schlink)

conrade

This “Read Through the New Testament” project and commentary is sent to you from Theology@Work, a ministry that helps apply theology in our daily lives, and seeks to inculcate, faith, hope and love in our heads, hearts and hands. If you find this meditation helpful, forward it to friends or encourage them to subscribe here. You can contact me (conrade) at yapdates@aim.com.

October 7, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 12

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 12 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 7 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. 3Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. 4Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. 5She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.

11They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.

12Therefore rejoice, you heavens
and you who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”

13When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
(Revelation 12:1-17)

Today’s chapter is spectacular. With each introduction, there is persecution. After each persecution, there is a deliverance. After each deliverance, there is judgment. In between the passage of symbols, visions, signs, and amazing celestial battles, do not miss the proclamation of praise and heightened promise.

– The salvation of the Lord has come!
– The Kingdom of God is power!
– The enemy will be overthrown!
– The Blood of the Lamb is victorious!
– The testimony of the faithful remains!
– Evil is judged and punished!
– The devil remains angry but only for a limited time.

On and on, we see how each time evil unleashes its full arsenal of threats and attacks, God always overcomes. The terror is there, but God is far bigger than any threat, more resilient to any attack, and victorious in every way. Any suffering and pain are only temporary. Evil will have the upperhand only for a while. Wait and hope in the Lord. The time will come. The time will surely come that God will conquer all.

***************

Time for Reflection: “Nothing paralyzes our lives like the attitude that things can never change. We need to remind ourselves that God can change things. Outlook determines outcome. If we see only the problems, we will be defeated; but if we see the possibilities in the problems, we can have victory.” (Warren Wiersbe)

conrade

October 6, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 11

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 11 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 6 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

7Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

13At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
(Revelation 11:1-13)

This passage talks about the two witnesses, their lives of dedication, faithfulness, and courage that appear to be very close to what Jesus himself had went through. The men witness boldly and proclaim the Truth. For that they were persecuted. They were put to death. They were silenced. Three and a half days later, the Lord resurrected them to a level much higher.

Even the bodies of the two witnesses were treated badly. It seems to tell me that though the world can inflict terror and death on the men when they were alive, and upon their bodies when they were dead, God is able to bring them to life, regardless of how they were treated. What readers ought to remember is that in spite of the terrible persecution, God is still in charge. That is why Revelation is a book that reads as encouragement for the faithful.

***************

Time for Reflection: “I believe that pluralistic secularism, in the long run, is a more deadly poison than straightforward persecution.” (Francis Schaeffer)

conrade

October 5, 2013 by conrade

Catch-up Day (Oct 5th, 2013)

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Catch-up Day (October 5th, 2013) (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 5 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
(Revelation 1:1-3)

Take the day to catch up on your missed readings. It is also a great moment to remember the great day of rest and peace. Feel free to read ahead. We continue with Revelation 11 tomorrow.

Blessings,

***************

Time for Reflection: “Revelation is to be counted, not as the answer to a problem, but as the unfolding of a mystery.” (E. P. Dickie)

conrade

October 4, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 10

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 10 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 4 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

5Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

9So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’a ” 10I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
(Revelation 10:1-11)

There is a strange event in this chapter. The angel tells John to take the scroll and instead of reading it, to eat it. Moreover, the angel also says that the scroll will taste sweet to the mouth, but turns sour at the stomach. Will any of us be willing to eat it when told about the consequences? I suppose many of us will have several moments of hesitation. We may start to ask why we should be eating it. Maybe we can ask again whether we can skip the eating of it altogether. Maybe, we may start to bargain for something more palatable. Maybe, some of us may even do some discussion and analysis before we make a decision.

John just follows through with the request. He eats it and it tastes sweet in the mouth. Then he feels it becomes sour to the stomach. What impresses me in this is the accuracy of the judgments, the exact results as stated by the angel, and the total obedience of John. Upon the obedient eating of the scroll, John is then given the responsibility to prophesy further. It reminds me of this: The faithful must demonstrate their faith prior to becoming a prophet, messenger, or servant. Then and only then, one can say that one is serving God. For without faith it is impossible to please God.

***************

Time for Reflection: “Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses the conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God.” (Oswald Chambers)

conrade

October 3, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 9

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 9 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 3 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

7The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

13The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

17The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
(Revelation 9:1-21)

The judgements continue. Upon unleashing the smoke locusts who have scorpion-like stings, readers will be curious to note that amid the judgment, the punishment remains very much a controlled one. More importantly, it is God who is still in control. The locusts are specifically told that they cannot touch the ones with a seal of God on their foreheads. They cannot kill, though they can torture. Not only that, they cannot torture people beyond 5 months. The rest of the chapter is on the woes of the suffering people and terrible signs.

It makes me wonder about how a loving God can allow people to suffer. Yet, when I think of it, any act of judgment must include a capacity to punish. Otherwise, what kind of a judgment is that? The Judge must be completely free to deal with the facts, consider all possible angles, match the consequences, and then decide on the best course of action. If we tie the hands of God and say that He can only decide on nice results, what kind of a judge will that be? Hey, if human judges can reward as well as punish, who are we to bind the hands of God to say what God can or cannot do?

***************

Time for Reflection: “Before the judgement seat of Christ my service will not be judged by how much I have done but by how much of me there is in it. No man gives at all until he has given all. No man gives anything acceptable to God until he has first given himself in love and sacrifice.” (A.W. Tozer)

conrade

October 2, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 8

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 8 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 2 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

6Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

7The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11the name of the star is Wormwood.a A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

12The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

13As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”
(Revelation 8:1-13)

Finally, we read about the opening of the Seventh Seal. It starts with an interesting half and hour of silence. Within that time, nothing seems to be happening. There is no sound, no noise, not even a whisper. All that is happening is waiting, listening, and expecting something to happen. Sometimes I wonder. If a modern person in our impatient culture is to be present there and then, what will that person be doing? Perhaps, he will be checking his email frantically to find out what is going on. He may be tweaking his Internet connection. He may be asking around whether he had missed anything. He may even be rushing from place to place to get some last minute work done. Not John. John waited in eager expectation of something great and magnificent to happen. He was rewarded.

With amazing clarity and perfect vision, he saw how the seven angels prepare to worship God. He saw the offering of prayers to God. He saw the judgements of Heaven. There is a lot of symbolism in this chapter. With each sounding of the trumpet, there is a specific event. The first angel’s trumpet signals the burning up of the earth. The second angel’s trumpet signals how mountains are thrown into the sea, with reference to the prayer of faith. How a third of the sea turns into blood, giving allusions to the judgment of God during the ten plagues of Egypt. The third angel’s trumpet reveals how the star (Wormwood) was thrown down from heaven. The fourth angel’s trumpet give all a vision of what it means when the sun is blotted out. The chapter ends with an eagle preparing all to expect and to ponder about the coming three trumpet’s sound.

***************

Time for Reflection: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.” (Abraham Lincoln)

conrade

October 1, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 7

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 7 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 1 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” 4Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

5From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
The Great Multitude in White Robes

9After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
17For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ”
(Revelation 7:1-17)

There are lots of numerical symbols in today’s passage. If we are to read it literally, some of us will be scratching our heads thinking how on earth are we going to fit into the exact numbers? Are the numbers of people in the tribes of Israel only 144,000? Does that include only those who have passed away? If so, considering a world population of over 6 billion people, surely, 144,000 is a very small number indeed. Here, I make a case that the passage is high on symbolism and we need to be careful when we want to attempt a literal interpretation of it. First thing is to understand the symbolism of numbers.

Note that there is a high use of the number 12 and its derivatives. 12 x 12 equals 144. Four corners of the earth represents ALL corners of the earth. “Land and sea” does not mean we exclude the air in between or the heavens above. It shows forth again that all the world’s domains, all the chosen people of the Lord, all the dimensions of the heavens and the earth, are within the power and control of God. God is Judge because God sees all things, knows all things, understands all things, and foresees all things. Numbers can only point to the greatness, for even numbers themselves are limited.

***************

Time for Reflection: “Worship is a believer’s response to God’s revelation of Himself. It is expressing wonder, awe, and gratitude for the worthiness, the greatness, and the goodness of our Lord. It is the appropriate response to God’s person, His provision, His power, His promises, and His plan.” (Nancy Leigh DeMoss)

conrade

September 30, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 6

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 6 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 30 September 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages,b and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

12I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

15Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
(Revelation 6:1-17)

One reason why some people dare not study or read Revelation is due to the frightening images and judgment meted out by God on people. People tend to ask how can a God of love inflict pain and suffering on people, even on evil ones. Is this not in conflict with the character of a God of grace and mercy? Did Jesus not say himself that the greatest commandment is to love God and to love one another? Did not Paul also say that among the trio of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love? How then can we make sense of the judgment, the blood, and the gore in Revelation 6? In this one chapter, six out of seven seals are revealed.

When the seals are opened, horses of different colours appear. Tormented souls cry out to God “How long?” Signs and wonders land on earth. Wars and various pursuits occur with vivid scenes of excitement as well as torment. As we study this passage, note the recurrence. It is the Lamb who opens all the seals. This symbolizes that God is in control. The timing is in his hands. The will of God kicks into gears the events of the last days. There will be wars. There will also be victories. There will be pain and suffering, but there will also be deliverance. the last days are not to be feared because God is Sovereign. God will take charge. God is in charge. May we charge on in faith in our journey of trusting God.

***************

Time for Reflection: “Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals. We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit.” (Richard J. Foster)

conrade

September 29, 2013 by conrade

Revelation 5

“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 5 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 29 September 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
(Revelation 5:1-14)

Yesterday, we ponder on the beauty and majesty of heaven as revealed to John by the Spirit of God. Our appropriate response is worship. Today’s passage draws us deeper into the heart of worship. The word ‘worship’ is about giving someone all he is worth. In worship, we proclaim that God is worthy, God is holy, God is mighty. The best way to worship God is to let God be God, and to let God be the I AM. We worship God not on the basis of our own feelings, but on the basis of the truth of God’s Eternal Personhood. John is able to see the glory of God revealed and revered by the four living creatures and twenty four elders. It gives us the picture of a time that comes when every knee (both good and evil), every tongue (both gracious and slanderous), every tribe (of all colors and ethnicities), everyone living and dead will bow down and cry out: “You are worthy!”

In crying out worthy with our lips, there is another thing we can do. Fall down and prostrate ourselves in utter humility. This dual dispositions show us again that whenever we come to Church to worship, have a vision of the glory of God and the constant awareness that we ourselves are lowly. We ourselves are humble servants. We are not worthy. Looking at the great gap between God’s worthiness and man’s unworthiness, we will get a sense of impossibility how we can ever be saved. Slowly and gradually, we will be lifted up. God comes to us and says: “In Christ, you are forgiven.”

That is grace unlimited.

***************

Time for Reflection: “There is a difference between going to a service “for the worship” and going to a service “to worship the Lord.” The distinction appears to be a minor one, but it may imply the difference between the worship of God and the worship of music!” (Sinclair B. Ferguson)

conrade

Theology @ Work (Beta)

Reflections on Faith, Works Through the 3L's: Living, Learning & Loving

New Testament

Revelation 13

Revelation 12

Revelation 11

Catch-up Day (Oct 5th, 2013)

Revelation 10

Revelation 9

Revelation 8

Revelation 7

Revelation 6

Revelation 5