Word

John 1:1
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Words reflect the heart. Out of the heart we are revealed.
That is why John calls Jesus the word of God. God revealed His heart in His Son. Jesus said He only spoke the words of His Father and is described as the exact image of God.
He reveals the Son in our hearts, like a seed sown in the earth. It is there Father and Son come to abide. We then begin to become more like Him as our heart changes in that fellowship, as we abide in that word, and it in  us.
The Word is the heart of God.
Lay your head on His breast and listen to the heartbeat of life.

I Am Glorified

John 17:9-10 ESV
9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

We are in this world, but not of this world. Jesus prays before the disciples, thanking the Father. We are numbered with those given, walking in the way of light and life. We participate in that glory and become glorified to His glory.

We give thanks likewise for those that surround us.  The glory of the Lord continues in our fellowship with Him and those who call on His name.

Squeezing By

It is easier for a camel to squeeze through an eye of a needle than for a foolish man to seek after the wisdom of God.

Who Denies

1 John 2:22-23 ESV
22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.

To deny Jesus is to deny God. Denying God serves to reveal the father of lies.  This cannot be denied.

Revelation 16:1-9 The Bowls Of God's Wrath

Introduction

The bowls usher in the last of God’s wrath on on unbelieving mankind. Like the trumpets, the first four are images of the ten plagues of Egypt.out in “rapid succession” as the first plague is still active at the time of the 5th plague (Pg. 292). The bowl judgements naturally separate into a 4/3 division. We will divide them into 4/2/1.

Chapter 16

     1 And I heard a loud1 voice from the temple2 saying to the seven angles, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.3 

     2 And the first one4 departed and poured out his bowl on the earth,

and there became bad and evil sores5 on the people who had the mark6 of the wild beast and who worshipped his image.7

     3 And the second one8 poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like the blood of a dead man9, and every living creature10 in the sea died11.12

     4 And the third one13 poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.14  5 I heard the angel of the waters15 saying,

     “You are righteous16, the One who is, and the One who was, the Holy One17,

          because you judged all things, 

     6 because they poured out the blood of the saints and prophets18,

          and blood has been given to them to drink, 

               they are worthy19 .”

     7 And I heard a voice from the alter20 saying21, 

     “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty,

          true and righteous are your judgements.” 

     8 And the fourth one22 poured out his bowl on the sun23 , and it was

to it to scorch the people with fire. 9 And the people were scorched by great heat and they blasphemed24 the name of God who has the authority over these plagues, but25 they did not repent to give him glory.

1 μεγάλης (loud) 

Greek: “great”.

2 In the previous chapter we see the temple opened. This time the opening of heaven does not bode well for the inhabitants below, for out come seven angels with seven plagues. This calls to mind again the seven spirits we saw earlier before God’s throne. No longer are they restrained by a forbearing God waiting for those to answer His call to repentance.

They had the plagues before one of the living creatures gave to them the bowls of God’s wrath. The judgment of God comes to fruition as foretold.

3 An allusion to Isaiah 66:6.

Isaiah 66:6 NIV 

     Hear that uproar from the city,

          hear that noise from the temple! 

     It is the sound of the LORD

          repaying his enemies all they deserve.

     We are reminded here that these bowls are poured out on earth. Sin has been removed from heaven. Satan has been cast down. The plagues follow him as they have always done.

4 Note the shift from how the trumpets passages would place ἄγγελος (angel) in the passages to here where the angels are referred to as “the first one; the second one; and so on.

5 ἕλκος (sores)

It is actually in the singular. An ἕλκος is a painful ulcer resulting from infection. Osborne*** adds that this sort of plague would have been fearsome. He goes on to say that medical supplies would be exhausted in a few days for such a world-wide disaster. The afflicted would not be able to walk, sit, or lie down without pain. (Pg. 580).

6 The mark of the beast draws its color from that dark stain of disobedience, of the rejection of God. Another mark of the beast was inflicted on the back and body of Christ, but He rose from death, giving us the way that leads to life. Those who have the seal of the Holy Spirit will live, for this is the mark of Jesus Christ.

7 An allusion to the 6th Egyptian plague in Exodus 9:9-11. Note that the plague only affects “the people who had the mark of the wild beast and who worshipped his image”. Believers, like the children of Israel in Egypt while the ten plagues were being “poured out” on the Egyptians, will be protected.

8 The TR/KJV adds ἄγγελος (angel).

9 Mounce** adds vividness to the passage by stating that the dead blood was “coagulated and rotting”. An awful state for the sea to be in! (Pg. 294).

     In the Old Testament it was emphasized that blood was the life of a creature, which pointed to the life giving blood shed by Jesus. Not drinking from the cup of His salvation means that death remains with us and will run its course to the end. The spilled blood of Able cried out to God, even as those under the temple alter cry out, “How long?”

10 ψυχὴ ζωῆς (living creature)

Greek: “life of the living” or “soul of the living”. ψυχὴ can mean both “life” or “soul”. Here, “the life of the living” refers to the living creatures of the oceans.

11 τὰ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ (in the sea)

Greek: “the ones in the sea”. It is interesting to note that John turns the Greek language on it head again with this statement. This phrase modifies πᾶσα ψυχὴ ζωῆς (every living creature) which is in the feminine because ψυχὴ (life/creature/soul) is a feminine word. The problem is that τὰ (the ones) is a neuter word! It should also be feminine. As a result of this problem, many manuscripts omit τὰ. Nevertheless, we get the point in spite of the bad Greek.

12 A double allusion occurs here. 1. It is an allusion to the 1st Egyptian plague found in Exodus 7:14-21. 2. It also is an allusion to the 2nd trumpet of 8:9-8, but is more intensive here as the plague is world-wide. Osborne*** adds that the sea was the lifeblood of the Roman Empire. Food supplies and commerce would have come to a halt. (Pg. 580). Beale* believes that the every living soul that died also included humans. His argument is that ψυχὴ (soul/life) is always used for humans in the Apocalypse. This is certainly plausible as fleets of ships would have been affected. (Pg. 815).

     The sea might also be an image of creation and man, its crowning glory. I am reminded of the disciples on the sea in the midst of a storm long ago. The wind rose and waves threatened the boat, but there was one that rose and commanded the storm to cease.

13 The TR/KJV adds ἄγγελος (angel).

14 This is also an allusion to the 1st Egyptian plague and is an intensification of the 3rd trumpet.

15 Jewish thought at the time placed angels in charge of the four elements; earth, wind, fire, and water. See 7:1 and 14:18. In 1 Enoch 66, we see this:

1 And after that he showed me the angels of punishment who are prepared to come and let loose all the powers of the waters which are beneath in the earth in order to bring judgement and destruction 2 on all who [abide and] dwell on the earth. And the Lord of Spirits gave commandment to the angels who were going forth, that they should not cause the waters to rise but should hold them 3 in check; for those angels were over the powers of the waters. And I went away from the presence of Enoch.

With that said, we can’t be sure that this view is seen here. It also could point out that this particular angel was the same one who poured his bowl into the rivers. Mounce** (Pgs. 294-295) and Beale* (Pg. 817).

     Genesis speaks of God separating the waters with the expanse of the sky. Heaven and earth are divided. The restoration of creation draws closer as we witness His word fulfilled.

     Now we see an angel of the waters give praise God and extol just judgment that comes from His righteousness.

16 The TR adds Κύριε (Lord).

17 The phrase καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος (and the one who is coming) is removed here just like it was removed in 11:17 at the Seventh trumpet! The future in now here. The TR/KJV removes ὁ ὅσιος (the Holy one) and adds ὁ ἐσόμενος (the one who will be).

18 We see the reason why these judgements are being poured out on the unbelievers of the earth. It is because the unbelievers have “poured out” or killed God’s people; the believers! This would have been as a wonderful turn-around for the suffering believers of the seven churches! This passage also links back to the prayers of the the believers who cried “How long?” in their prayers to God for recompense in 6:10.

     Jesus said He did not come to judge but to save the world. It is His word that judges. Those that do not place their faith in Him are already judged by their works. Those who do not accept the pouring out of His grace and Spirit will receive the pouring out of the bowls filled with the drink of the dead.

19 In other words, the unbelievers deserve what they are getting in these judgements. This also is in contrast to 3:4 where the members of the church in Sardis who are worthy to walk with God in white clothes.

20 Καὶ ἤκουσα τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου (And I heard a voice from the alter)

Greek: “And I heard from the alter”, “And I heard of the alter”, or just simply “And I heard the alter”. Since it is unlikely that the alter itself spoke, then we must conclude that there was a voice from the alter. Interesting enough, copyist(s) also had trouble with the phrase as the TR/KJV has καὶ ἤκουσα ἄλλου ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου (and I heard another from the alter). In this case, the TR indicates that the voice belongs to an angel. Another (ἄλλου = another someone/something of the same kind) would have to refer back to the angel of verse 5.

21 There is debate as to who the voice from the alter belongs. If one follows the TR/KJV, then it is an angel. One must keep in mind that we are dealing with figurative language throughout the Apocalypse. This passage may point back to 6:9 where the saints cry out for vengeance from under the alter. Osborne*** (Pg. 585) sees the angel that presented the prays of the saints to God on the alter in 8:3-5. Mounce** sees the voice as representing the corporate testimony of the martyred saints and their prayers. (Pg. 296).

     Whoever speaks from the alter follows after the angel of the waters has spoken, and agrees that the judgment of God is righteous and true. This may indicative of the unity and agreement of all that reside in the kingdom of God.

22 The TR/KJV adds ἄγγελος (angel). 23 This plagues doesn’t follow the Egyptian plagues.

24 or “to speak against”. This could mean a couple of things: 1. The unbelievers “spoke against” God because they knew he was judging them, or 2. they continued to “speak against” God in worshipping the dragon and the wild beast. Beale* thinks that the blasphemies here are denials that the punishments are from God. (Pg. 823).

     The name of God represents God, our understanding of Who He is as He revealed. All that is encapsulated in the Incarnation of His Son. The Word is spoken and that Word is life. Speaking something else is rejecting the name by which salvation is given. Forgiveness and life lies in no other way, but the way God has provided.

25 καὶ (but) 

Greek: “and”.

Abbreviations

NT = New Testament 

OT = Old Testament 

ESV = English Standard Version 

NASB = New American Standard Bible

NIV = New International Version

KJV = King James Version 

TR = Textus Receptus (A late Byzantine Greek text of the NT. A 

predecessor of the TR was used in the translation of the KJV) 

LXX = Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT)

Bibliography

The Greek New Testament with Greek-English Dictionary B. Aland (Editor), K. Aland (Editor), J. Karavidopoulos (Editor), B. M. Metzger (Editor), C. M. Martini (Editor)

(BDAG) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition Walter Bauer (Author), Frederick William Danker (Editor)

A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament Bruce M. Metzger

(Kittel) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (VOLUMES 1-10) Gerhard Kittel (Editor), Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Translator)

*The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.).) G. K. Beale

**The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Robert H. Mounce

***Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) Grant R. Osborne

+Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics Daniel B. Wallace

++An Idiom Book of New Testament Greek C. F. D. Moule

+++Biblical Greek (Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici) Maximilian Zerwick

A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament Max Zerwick (Author), Mary Grosvenor (Author)

--
Posted By Russell Beatty to Nuggets in the Biblical Greek at 7/25/2011 06:23:00 AM

Revelation 15:1-8 The Angels With The Last Plagues

     1 And I saw another sign1 in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the last seven plagues, because in them, the God’s wrath was complete2.

     2 And I saw something like a sea of glass3 mixed4 with fire5, and the ones who were victorious6 over7 the wild beast and over his image and over the number of name stood on the sea of glass8 holding harps for God9.  3 And they sing the song of Moses10, the slave of God, namely11 the song of the lamb saying,

     “Great and marvelous are your deeds12 

          Lord God, the Almighty.

     Righteous and true are your ways13, 

          The king of the nations14.

     4 Who will never15 be afraid of you Lord, 

          and will glorify your name?

     Because you alone are holy. 

          For all the nations will come

     and will worship before you, 

          because your righteous acts have been revealed.”

     5 And after these things, I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in heaven16, 6and the seven angels [who] had the seven plagues came out of the temple wearing17 clean, bright linen and and a golden belts wrapped around their chest. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of God’s wrath who lives forever18. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. No one was able to go into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed19.

1 sign

This is a reminder that we are viewing a message that is wrapped in the visual language of the Old Testament used to communicate truths about what God is doing and will be doing. While the imagery draws from the past, it speaks of things to come, and reassures us us of God’s promises.

2 The last of the judgements of the earth end here. It is fitting that there are seven. The last judgements will be complete as they usher in the very last days.

3 This points back to 4:6 where John sees “a glass sea like crystal before the throne.”

     It conveys the idea of purity and peace, the rest of God. This had to have been what it was like in the Garden of Eden before it was spoiled by disobedience.

4 μεμιγμένην (mixed) 

Greek: “having been mixed”.

5 Osborne*** see the fire here as another sign of God’s judgements. (Pg. 562). Beale*, on the other hand, sees this a reference to the Red Sea because Jewish exegetical tradition depicted the Red Sea as becoming a “sea of glass”. He also states that the fire is a sign of Judgement. (Pg. 789).

     The sea of glass could be representative of earth mixed with the fire of Judgement. It is on earth where the battle with the beast takes place, and the fire from the alter is cast upon the earth. It is here that the nations ride the waves of waters troubled and cursed with the wine of Babylon.

6 τοὺς νικῶντας (who were victorious) 

Greek: “the ones who conquer”.

     Victory is found only through the Lamb.

7 

ἐκ (over)

 

Greek: “from” or “out of”.

     Our victory over the wild beast, in the name of the Son, transfers us from the world to the kingdom of God.

8 Note that the martyred saints are standing on the sea of glass. Since we know from 4:6 that this sea was before the throne, we can see that these saints are also before the throne. Osborne*** (Pg.561).

     This might speak of the new creation which is to come.

9 τοῦ θεοῦ (for God)

This can be translated a few ways: 1. A genitive of source, which would have the harps given to them by God, 2. An objective genitive, which would have the harps being played for God, and 3. a possessive genitive, which would have the harps belonging to God. Since the playing of the harps accompany the singing of a song to God, then the playing of the harps are also for God. Osborne*** sees the objective genitive as well. (Pg. 563). Mounce** on the other hand, sees this as “harps of God”. (Pg. 286).

     Again, the future is foreshadowed by the past.  The relevance of the Old Testament continues to manifest itself in the New Testament.  The Word of God is comprised of both.

10 The Song of Moses links the bowl judgements with the ten plagues of Egypt just as the trumpet judgements were based on the Egyptian plagues. In the OT, the Song(s) of Moses are found in Exodus 15:1-19 and Deuteronomy 32.

     Again, the future is foreshadowed by the past. The relevance of the Old Testament continues to manifest itself in the New Testament. The Word of God is comprised of both.

11 καὶ (namely) 

Greek: “and”.  There is only one song that is sung.  It is Moses’ song as well as the lamb’s song.

     This points to the cohesion and purpose in Scripture.

12 Echoes both Psalms 111:3 and Deuteronomy 28:59-60. Osborne*** (Pgs. 564-565).

In Deuteronomy 28:59 LXX, the very same words are used to describe the plagues.

πληγὰς μεγάλας καὶ θαυμαστάς (great and marvelous plagues)

Here:

μεγάλα καὶ θαυμαστὰ (great and marvelous)

The only differences are the forms: feminine in Deuteronomy because “plagues” is feminine and neuter here because “deeds” is neuter.

13 Echoes Deuteronomy 32:4.

14 The TR replaces τῶν ἐθνῶν (of the nations) with τῶν ἁγίων (of the

saints).

15 οὐ μὴ (never) 

Greek: “not not”. The double “nots” is emphatic, thus “never”.

16 Beale* states that like 11:19, the opened temple signifies that God is appearing to execute judgements. In this case, the final judgements. (Pg. 802).

     Opening of the temple takes back to the throne room. Remember that God’s throne is in the midst of the living creatures. Before the throne were seven spirits.

     The seven angels are clothed as priests of Israel. They receive the bowls of God’s wrath from one of the living creatures, which could be a sign of Israel. There were four divisions that camped in the wilderness with the Tabernacle in the desert.

17 ἐνδεδυμένοι (wearing) 

Greek: “having been clothed”. This is the first time this word is used in

the Apocalypse.

18 εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (forever) 

Greek: “into the ages of ages”.

19 There tend to be three reasons as to why no one could enter the temple: 1. The temple is closed because there is no longer a place for intercession, either for divine mercy for the nations (Mounce** Pg. 290) or for vindication and vengeance for the nations (Beale* Pg. 807), 2. No one can approach God until his wrath is completed, 3. The temple is closed due to God’s glory and power. Osborne*** see the last two. (Pg. 572).

     In the Old Testament, the temple was the place of sacrifice for sins and atonement of God’s people. God’s wrath is here poured out on those who cling to their sin and do not seek Him. Since they do not accept the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ, they are judged in light of the Law. The Law did not disappear when Christ came. He fulfills the Law and offers the liberty that arises from faith in His grace.

     The saints worship before God in the temple built in three days. What Christ opens cannot be shut and what He closes cannot be opened.

Abbreviations

NT = New Testament 

OT = Old Testament 

ESV = English Standard Version 

NASB = New American Standard Bible

NIV = New International Version

KJV = King James Version 

TR = Textus Receptus (A late Byzantine Greek text of the NT. A 

predecessor of the TR was used in the translation of the KJV) 

LXX = Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT)

Bibliography

The Greek New Testament with Greek-English Dictionary B. Aland (Editor), K. Aland (Editor), J. Karavidopoulos (Editor), B. M. Metzger (Editor), C. M. Martini (Editor)

(BDAG) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition Walter Bauer (Author), Frederick William Danker (Editor)

A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament Bruce M. Metzger

(Kittel) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (VOLUMES 1-10) Gerhard Kittel (Editor), Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Translator)

*The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.).) G. K. Beale

**The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Robert H. Mounce

***Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) Grant R. Osborne

+Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics Daniel B. Wallace

++An Idiom Book of New Testament Greek C. F. D. Moule

+++Biblical Greek (Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici) Maximilian Zerwick

A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament Max Zerwick (Author), Mary Grosvenor (Author)

--
Posted By Russell Beatty to Nuggets in the Biblical Greek at 7/22/2011 08:46:00 AM

Reaching Light

Our thoughts and understanding of God are like arrows leaving the bow of an ancient man attempting to reach and touch that light of the moon in the sky, only to fall pitifully short in it's small arc, returning to earth. How blessed we are that a great light has shown on the world, took form in the world, and lights the way to where we cannot reach on our own.

Ashes

Theology separate from the life it attempts to describe is like the ashes that remain after a fire. It is evidence of the fire that produces it, but reflected in the past tense, and can become but a dissected corpse which contributes to understanding, but in a remote and distant way. Dispassionately voicing passion, the best efforts of man, like ashes, can become cold and blow in the wind. 

No Greater Burden

Acts 15:28-29 ESV

28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.

Which work or ritual do you cling to as necessary beyond believing in Christ for salvation, to be a Christian? 

What does God say is the heart of the matter?

Is there anything you are needlessly carrying, a burden He will gladly lift from your back if you will but let go?

Awaits

Might it be that the Garden portion of God's revelation reveals that man was created as Adam, and out from from his body was Eve fashioned to help and provide companionship. That we were created to share in love and fellowship with our Creator. So was Israel chosen by God from all the people in the world to be His people, giving them His word that all men might live. Man fell, not relying on God's word. Eve did not help Adam, except to be forced to exit the Garden by their disobedience.

They were removed from His presence and clothed in animal skins.

Then God reached down to lift man back up to be with Him. He did so by clothing Himself in the animal skins of our humanity, into His very creation. From the very chosen nation which rejected God, comes the Son as a servant and helper for mankind, the promised seed for salvation.
From out of His own body, comes all who believe in God's word. They are restored to the presence of God in Christ. We find the help and companionship of God in the present and look forward to trading in these animal skins for the immortal existence which God intended. We have been set free for the freedom yet to come; unfettered life in unbounded love awaits.

Revelation 14:6-13 Message Of The Three Angels

6 And I saw another angel flying in midair1 having the eternal good news2 to preach3 to the ones who are sitting4upon the earth, namely to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He said5 with a great voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the the hour of his judgement has come. Worship the one who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the springs of waters.”6

     8 And another angel, a second one7, followed saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great8 who has made all nations to drink from the wine9 of wrath for her sexual immorality10.”

     9 And another angel, a third one, followed them saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the wild beast and his image and receives11 a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink from the wine of wrath of God12 who has poured his wrath full strength13 into the cup of his anger and he will be tormented in fire and sulphur in the presence of holy angels and in the presence of the lamb14. 11 And the smoke of their torments goes up forever15, and they have no rest16 day and night: the ones who worship the wild beast and his image or for17 anyone who receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the endurance of the saints, the ones who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus18.

     13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: ‘Blessed19 are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes”, says the Spirit, “so that they will rest from their labors. For their deeds follow with them.20”

1 Osborne*** states that the angel flying in midair symbolizes that the message that he carries if for the whole earth. (Pg. 534).

     In a previous interlude a lone eagle cries out woe, woe, woe. Here three angels each speak, making proclamations from God. In both cases warning is given.

2 εὐαγγέλιον (good news) 

or “gospel”.

     As is today, one’s perspective on this news might differ, but the implications are close at hand. To some the news is good, but not to those who are perishing.

3 εὐαγγελίσαι (to preach) 

or “to bring the good news” or “to announce the good news”.

4 ἐπὶ τοὺς καθημένους (to the ones who are sitting)

Here is a shift! By now, one would expect to see τοὺς κατοικοῦντας (the ones who dwell). A copyist(s) from centuries ago thought the same thing as well as the TR/KJV replaces the phrase with τοὺς κατοικοῦντας (the ones who dwell).

Perhaps John uses this phrase to draw attention to the reader that the “preaching” is to be to everyone on the earth: believers and non-believers alike. A call to non-believers to repent and a call to believers to hold fast to the faith.

     This could also serve to remind us of those Egyptians sitting in their houses at days end, while Israel was ready with unleavened bread and sandals on their feet to embark on a journey. The Egyptians were sitting in the dust of the earth. Israel was getting ready to shake that dust from their feet.

5 λέγων (He said)

Greek: “saying”. Due to the complexity of the Greek sentence, I chose to create a hard stop before this participle.

6 Osborne*** sees the entire passage as a final call for repentance and salvation. (Pgs. 534-537). Beale*, on the other hand, sees this passage as he sees 11:13. Unbelievers are forced to admit to God’s sovereignty through the judgements, but remain unconverted. (Pg. 751).

     Both views are not incompatible. Grace is held out to all, but is refused by so many. They remain defiant and resolute in following their own way.

7 δεύτερος (a second one) 

The TR/KJV omits this.

8 The passage is an allusion to Isaiah 21:9a while the title echos Daniel 4:30. In John’s day, Rome would have seen as Babylon. Osborne*** (Pg. 538), Mounce** (Pg. 273).

9 The wine here causes the world to be put under its influence. Just as too much wine causes one to be intoxicated, Babylon’s wine does the same thing.

     Just as the new wine of grace fills the cup offered by Jesus to His disciples is mixed with the blood of His sacrifice, so is the cup of the beast filled by God, but with a different wine. It is mixed with the blood of the saints and the wicked deeds of Babylon, bringing wrath and judgment: a bitter brew.

10 τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς (of wrath for her sexual immorality)

There are a few ways to translate this passage. I’ve translated it with “for her sexual immorality” being objective genitive, that is Babylon (Rome) forces all that she controls to commit idolatry (sexual immorality). We can see this theme in chapters 2 and 3. Alas! This raging brings about her own downfall.

Many scholars see τοῦ θυμοῦ as meaning “intense desire” (this is an alternate meaning), but θυμός has already been used in 12:12 to describe the dragon’s extreme wrath and is used below in verse 10 to describe God’s wrath. If θυμός modifies πορνεία, then the passage would be rendered “her passionate sexual immorality”, thus showing her passion for idolatry that she makes all of the nations drink.

     Repeated in Scripture is the imagery of sexual immorality to convey how God views those that seek something other than Him. Idolatry brings the wrath of a loving God, but love triumphs in the end.

11 προσκυνεῖ/λαμβάνει (worships/receives)

Both verbs are in the present tense and carry a continual aspect. If one sees a call of repentance (or judgement for that matter) by the first angel, then one can see here a possible rendering of “if anyone continues to worship”, but that really doesn’t fit with λαμβάνει (receives) as that would be rendered “continues to receive”.

     When one receives God, the result is worship. It can’t be helped, like a string on a violin which finds voice when the bow is drawn across, gratitude flows and love is lifted up. For this we are created.

12 τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ (the wrath of God)

θυμός is used here as “wrath” of God and is the same word that is used in verse 8.

13 τοῦ κεκερασμένου ἀκράτου (who has poured full strength)

Greek: “who has mixed without mixture”. It was common to mix water into wine in those days. Here, God is not diluting his wrath. He pours it out in full strength. Osborne*** expands this by pointing out that the ancients would mix one part water and one part wine, but sometimes even 3-1 water to wine. (Pg. 540). The image portrays unbelievers as being intoxicated on the wrath of God. They will be completely overcome by its effects. As Beale* puts it, “While the intoxicating effect of Babylon’s wine seemed strong, it is nothing in comparison to God’s wine.” (Pg. 759). God’s wine is full strength as compared to the diluted wine of Babylon.

     Not only is it undiluted, but its strength is doubled. It is this justice that Jesus bore on our behalf, required by God and answered by God. By His grace we remain.

14 It is possible to see this as the announcement of the eternal judgement. That is, it is the announcement of what is coming that happens in the presence of the holy angels and the lamb and not the actual eternal judgement. It could also mean that the angels carry out the judgement. Beale* (Pg. 760).

     This underlines the fact that Jesus not only is our Savior, but is Judge as well. The first time He came, He was slain without a word of protest. At His second coming He will have the last word.

15 εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων ἀναβαίνει (goes up forever)

Greek: “goes up into the ages of ages”. The verb “goes up”, which is in the present tense and carries a continual force, combined with “forever” paints a hard picture that unbelievers will suffer for eternity.

16 οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀνάπαυσιν (they have no rest) 

or, “they don’t have ceasing”.

     Those that choose the Lord will find His rest.

17 καὶ εἴ (or for) 

Greek: “and if”. as in “an if anyone receives the mark of his name”.  

The Greek is a touch crude.

     There is but one name by which men will be saved. God has spoken and His Son Jesus is that Word.

18 τὴν πίστιν Ἰησοῦ (faith in Jesus)

Ἰησοῦ can be translated “in Jesus” (Subjective Genitive) or “of Jesus” (Objective Genitive). Here, the saints “are keeping the faith in Jesus”. See Blog on Galatians 2:15-21. Osborne*** sees this view as well. (Pg. 544).

     This is in keeping with the view and understanding of Jesus Christ as part of the one God.

19 or “Happy”. This word carries both meanings.

20 The hard work that was done pays off in the end. Not only did these saints work hard in their witness, but labored against the very forces of evil. In death they conquer to awake in eternity with God.

     The work of the saints is largely believing. This is reflected in our lives. We are encouraged by Jesus to hold on to our faith, to endure to the end. Paul likens it to a race. Heaven waits at the finish line.

     We will eat from the Tree of Life.

Abbreviations

NT = New Testament 

OT = Old Testament 

ESV = English Standard Version 

NASB = New American Standard Bible

NIV = New International Version

KJV = King James Version 

TR = Textus Receptus (A late Byzantine Greek text of the NT. A 

predecessor of the TR was used in the translation of the KJV) 

LXX = Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT)

Bibliography

The Greek New Testament with Greek-English Dictionary B. Aland (Editor), K. Aland (Editor), J. Karavidopoulos (Editor), B. M. Metzger (Editor), C. M. Martini (Editor)

(BDAG) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition Walter Bauer (Author), Frederick William Danker (Editor)

A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament Bruce M. Metzger

(Kittel) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (VOLUMES 1-10) Gerhard Kittel (Editor), Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Translator)

*The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.).) G. K. Beale

**The Book of Revelation (The New International Commentary on the New Testament) Robert H. Mounce

***Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) Grant R. Osborne

+Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics Daniel B. Wallace

++An Idiom Book of New Testament Greek C. F. D. Moule

+++Biblical Greek (Scripta Pontificii Instituti Biblici) Maximilian Zerwick

A Grammatical Analysis of the Greek New Testament Max Zerwick (Author), Mary Grosvenor (Author)