“To live IS Christ!”
means that we
proclaim the gospel of Christ!
To publish in this sense is
לְפַרְסֵם ,
an active-intensive פִּעֵל verb
also meaning
To Publicize!
The Greek term metanoia means
'change of mind':
to repent is to be
Renewed!
to be transformed in our
inward viewpoint,
to attain a fresh way of
looking at our relationship to God and to others!
The fault of the Pharisee is that he has
no desire to change his outlook;
he is complacent, self-satisfied, and so he allows
no place for
God to act within him.
The Publican, on the
other hand,
truly
longs for a 'change of mind':
he is self-dissatisfied, 'poor in spirit', and where there
is this saving self-dissatisfaction there is
room for God to act.
Unless we learn the
secret
of the
Publican's inward poverty,
we shall not share in the Lenten springtime.
The theme of the day can be
summed up
in a saying of the Desert Fathers:
'Better a man who has sinned, if he
knows that he has sinned and repents,
than a man who has not sinned and
thinks of himself as righteous.'
After Jesus explained to
His disciples
what would take place at the
end of the age, during the tribulation,
and at His second coming,
He gives several illustrations
of what the
end of the age and His coming
will be like.
In one of those illustrations, Jesus says that the coming of the
Son of Man
will be
“as it was in the days of Noah”
(Matthew 24:37)
The coupling of grace and
truth
is found in numerous places in the Bible, including Colossians 1:6 and 2 John 1:3 in the New Testament, and 2 Samuel 15:20 and Psalm 86:15 in the Old Testament. Then there is John 1:14, 17, which says,
“The Word became flesh
and made
his dwelling among us
We have seen
his glory,
the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth. . . .
For the law was given through Moses;
grace and truth
came
through Jesus Christ.”
There is a strong possibility that John is referencing the Hebrew terms hesed (“mercy” or “lovingkindness”) and emet (“truth” or “faithfulness”), found together in Exodus 34:6: “Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.’” Note that the attributes of God in the Old Testament are applied to Christ in the New. At the beginning of his gospel, John is making a subtle statement regarding the divinity of Jesus. The rest of John’s gospel will expound on that truth.
It is important for grace and truth to work in tandem. An emphasis on grace alone can dissipate into a shallow and sentimental foundation where justice or truth is discarded. However, a focus only on truth can devolve into a cold, hardened dogma. Jesus’ character demonstrates the perfect balance of both grace and truth. He is “full” of both.
Grace and truth meld together in the gospel message to form a key distinction of Christianity over other religions. In all other religions, grace and truth are never balanced. Instead, the deity being worshiped either dispenses justice at the expense of
grace or dispenses grace at the expense of
justice and truth
Christianity is unique
in that God delivers
grace
through His justice and truth.
The truth is,
everyone has fallen short
of the
glory of God
(Romans 3:23) and deserves God’s justice.
However,
God’s justice is satisfied, and His truth upheld,
through
the sacrifice of
Jesus on the cross
That act delivers God’s grace to those who will accept it by faith.
In this way,
Christianity stands alone as an ontological
FAITH--
one that is fully dependent on a person
—Jesus Christ--
who perfectly balances and embodies both
GRACE
and TRUTH in His very
BEING
Archaeologists tell us that every great civilization in history
had a story of a cataclysmic flood.
But depend on Christ,
who confirmed the story by saying,
“As the days of Noah were, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be”
(Matthew 24:37)
The writer to the Hebrews talks about
the arrangement of the tabernacle of the Old Testament.
The tabernacle
was the portable sanctuary
used by the Israelites
from the time of
their wandering in the wilderness
after the Exodus from Egypt to the
building of the
temple in Jerusalem
(see Exodus 25–27)
Within the tabernacle
was the
ark of the covenant which
included the mercy seat
(Hebrews 9:3-5 NKJV)
The ark of the covenant, the chest containing the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, was the most sacred object of the tabernacle and later in the temple in Jerusalem, where it was placed in an inner area called the Holy of Holies. Also within the ark were the golden pot of manna, such as was provided by God in the wilderness wanderings (Exodus 16:4) and Aaron’s almond rod (Numbers 17:1-13). On top of the ark was a lid called the mercy seat on which rested the cloud or visible symbol of the divine presence. Here God was supposed to be seated, and from this place He was supposed to dispense mercy to man when the blood of the atonement was sprinkled there.
In a manner of speaking, the mercy seat concealed the people of God from the ever-condemning judgment of the Law. Each year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood of animals sacrificed for the atonement of the sins of God’s people. This blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. The point conveyed by this imagery is that it is only through the offering of blood that the condemnation of the Law could be taken away and violations of God’s laws covered.
The Greek word for “mercy seat” in Hebrews 9:5 is hilasterion, which means “that which makes expiation” or “propitiation.” It carries the idea of the removal of sin. In Ezekiel 43:13-15, the brazen altar of sacrifice is also called hilasterion (the propitiatory or mercy seat) in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) because of its association with the shedding of blood for sin.
What is the significance of this? In the New Testament, Christ Himself is designated as our “propitiation.” Paul explains this in his letter to the Romans: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Romans 3:24-25 NKJV). What Paul is teaching here is that Jesus is the covering for sin, as shown by these Old Testament prophetic images. By means of His death, and our response to Christ through our faith in Him, all our sins are covered. Also, whenever believers sin, we may turn to Christ who continues to be the propitiation or covering for our sins (1 John 2:1, 4:10). This ties together the Old and New Testament concepts regarding the covering of sin as exemplified by the mercy-seat of God.
What characterized the days of Noah? Apostasy. Anarchy. Ungodly philosophy. “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
The days of Noah have
returned to us
The wickedness reached such a level that “the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’
But Noah Found
Grace
in the
eyes of the LORD”
(Genesis 6:6-8; emphasis added).
In these dangerous days,
we have the
Grace of God
Grace Provides a SaviorNoah needed to be saved, so
God told him,
“Make yourself an Ark”
(Genesis 6:14a).
That ark pictures Jesus Christ
(Read 1 Peter 3:18-20.)
The Ark’s Security
“Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch” (Genesis 6:14). Gopherwood is cypress, which will not rot, and “pitch” is tar. Interestingly, this is not the usual word for pitch—this word is translated in the rest of the Bible as atonement. The water was God’s judgment, and not one drop could come through. Christ is the atonement for our sin, and in Him, no judgment can get to you.
The Ark’s Sufficiency“And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits” (Genesis 6:15). The ark was 3 million cubic feet. There was room on that ark, and there is room at the cross.
The Ark’s Shape
Notice that God does not say the ark has a prow or stern. Archaeologists tell us these are the dimensions of a coffin. The ancients built their coffins out of cypress because it would not decay. Why is the ark a giant coffin? Because when Noah came into that ark, it pictured the way we are buried with Christ in baptism. (See Romans 6:4.)
“You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side” (Genesis 6:16a). This is the door that God sealed, and nobody could open it. (See Genesis 7:16.) But Noah could open the window and look up. God was saying, “From now on, you are to be Heavenly minded.” We are sealed into Christ by the Holy Spirit. We look into Heaven through Jesus Christ.
The Ark’s Sustenance“
And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them” (Genesis 6:21). God took care of all of their needs. When you come to Jesus, you have shelter and substance. Jesus not only saves but also satisfies.
The Ark’s Schedule
“Then the ark rested in the seventh month, the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat” (Genesis 8:4). You might blow past this. But when the ark arrived, having been steered by God (because it also had no helm!), it was the seventh month in the Jewish calendar—April. This is the time of Passover, when Jesus came out of the grave, ha
ving taken the floodwaters of God’s wrath upon the cross!
Grace Provides Salvation
Why do we have a Savior? So we can be saved!
How? “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10; emphasis added).
If you keep three prepositions in mind, you will never get confused about the relationship of faith and good works. You are saved…
- by grace,
- through faith,
- for good works.
The ark shows that salvation is by grace.
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD…. ‘I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you’” (Genesis 6:8,18). God only has one plan of salvation, and that is by grace.
Grace means that God saves us apart from any effort of our own.
“Then the LORD said to Noah, ‘Come into the ark, you and all your household’” (Genesis 7:1a).
Noah had to take that step through faith.
(See Hebrews 11:7.)
Noah was saved for good works. “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’” (Genesis 9:1). We do not do good works in order to be saved; we do them because we have been saved.
Grace Provides SecurityGod did not say, “Noah, go into the ark.” He said, “Come”—meaning God was in the ark. In Christ, you are as safe as you can possibly be. About those who believe in Christ, the Bible says, “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13b). Not only did God shut the water out; God shut Noah in. Could Noah have lost his salvation? God shut the door! Noah may have fallen down
inside that ark, but he couldn’t fall out of it.
Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). If you are saved by works, you will have to be kept by works. But we are saved by grace, and kept by grace.
The first time, God destroyed the world by water. The second time, it will be by fire.
“…The world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men…The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:6b-7,9).
Now here is the question: “Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:11-12)?
Judgment is coming. You had better be in the ark of safety, whose name is the Lord Jesus Christ, and know the grace of Almighty God.
Before Jesus compares His coming to the days of Noah, He illustrates His coming with a parable of the fig tree. By observing the growth of the fig tree one can determine that summer is near (Matthew 24:32). In the same way, by observing the signs (the things Jesus mentioned in the earlier part of the chapter), one can recognize that His coming is near (Matthew 24:33). The generation of people who are alive when these things begin to happen will see them completed (Matthew 24:34), as they will happen swiftly. And, while Jesus’ words are totally reliable (Matthew 24:35), He said at that time that no one knows exactly when the events will take place except for His Father (Matthew 24:36).
Against the backdrop of the fig tree illustration, Jesus says that the coming of the Son of Man will be “as the days of Noah were” (Matthew 24:37, NKJV). This is an important statement for several reasons. First, Jesus identifies Himself as the “Son of Man,” the one in Daniel 7:13–14 who is given an eternal kingdom. With that identification Jesus is claiming to be the rightful King over all. When the King—the Son of Man—comes, it will be as in the days of Noah. In those days, the people were going about their lives, eating, drinking, and marrying, until the flood came swiftly (Matthew 24:38). They were ignorant about what was coming until it came upon them and took them away (Matthew 24:39). In the same way, when Christ returns to earth as the Son of Man—the King—He will bring judgment with Him. Even though the signs of His coming will be obvious to anyone who is paying attention, apparently few will be looking.
It is worth noting that, while there are some similarities between the event Jesus describes in Matthew 24 and the event we call the “rapture” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), these are two different events. The events of Matthew 24 result in Christ coming to earth with people being taken in judgment, while the rapture event has Christ only coming to the clouds and taking up people to be in heaven. The rapture event takes place before the tribulation period described in Matthew 24 (as the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 precedes the day of the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 5), and the coming of Jesus in Matthew 24 occurs after the tribulation period (Matthew 24:29–31).
Even though Jesus’ coming would not be during the lifetime of the people He was addressing in Matthew 24, He prepares them for what would take place so they would be on the alert because of the certainty of the events and the uncertainty (from their perspective) of the timing (Matthew 24:42). Jesus provides His listeners an outline of the future so they will know that God’s plans will come to fruition and that He has given His disciples a stewardship with which to be faithful. We also need a sense of urgency. Even if these prophesied events don’t begin to happen in our lifetime, we have only a limited time to use for Him. We should strive to make the most of the time He has given us (Ephesians 5:16). The coming of the Son of Man will be as it was in the days of Noah.
Second Timothy is likely the final letter that the apostle Paul wrote. It is written to Timothy, who was his “son in the faith” (1 Timothy 1:2) and personal envoy. Paul would send Timothy to churches to help take care of problems when Paul was unable to go there himself. In 2 Timothy 4:2, Paul writes, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”
In his final epistle, Paul tells Timothy how to build up the church where he is ministering, and he gives instructions that apply to all pastors and ultimately to all believers. In chapter 4, Paul begins to conclude his letter and gives Timothy his instructions “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom” (verse 1)—in other words, this is really important. The one thing of supreme importance that Paul wants to impress upon Timothy is his duty to “preach the word” and to “be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (verse 2). This preaching of the Word is necessary because “the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (verses 3–4). People normally tend to be comfortable with falsehood, and Timothy must combat this tendency by being ready at all times to preach the truth, that is, to preach the Word of God.
The Word spoken of here is the Bible—biblical truth. This is to be the content of preaching. Pastors have a biblical mandate to preach the written Word of God.
Some might ask how this can apply to the everyday Christian who does not have the opportunity to preach in a church service. The answer comes from a proper understanding of the word translated “preach.”
The word translated “preach” is the Greek word keyroxon, which simply
means
“publish or proclaim openly.”
When Paul tells Timothy to preach the Word, the idea of a formal setting behind a pulpit or in a church service is not present. Nor does it connote a certain style of speech—“preaching” vs. “teaching” vs. “normal conversation.” In the context of 2 Timothy, any presentation of the truth of God’s Word is “preaching.” Therefore, any Christian can and should do this.
When God revealed His plan to destroy the world with a Flood, He told Noah, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7). Interestingly, fish and sea creatures were not mentioned.
Several passages in the Flood section of Genesis help shed some light on the question of whether or not fish were killed in the Flood. Genesis 6:17 states, “For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die.” Specifically, everything on the earth would die. The flood of water would drown them. Logically, animals that live in the water would not be affected by more water. Also, it is hard to see how fish could be described as having “breath.”
Land animals and birds were selected to board the ark, but fish and sea creatures were not (Genesis 6:19-21; 7:2-4). This would seem to indicate that sea creatures did not need the ark in order to survive.
Genesis 7:20-23 lists animals that died, but sea life is not included: “The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, livestock, beasts, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all mankind. Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens.” The reference to “dry land” limits what types of animals were affected.
After the Flood, “God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark” (Genesis 8:1). Why didn’t God “remember” the fish and sea creatures? They had not been destroyed like the other animals.
It is interesting to observe how the Hebrew worldview categorized animal life. The fifth day of creation included the creation of fish and sea life as well as flying creatures and birds: “So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:21). Land animals were created on the sixth day (Genesis 1:24). Based on these verses, the Jewish people saw animal life in three categories—sea life, flying animals, and land animals. Of those three categories, only the flying animals and land animals were taken aboard the ark. The fish and sea life were not at risk under the water.
Jeremiah the prophet lived in the final days of the crumbling nation of Judah. He was, appropriately, the last prophet that God sent to preach to the southern kingdom, which comprised the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. God had repeatedly warned Israel to stop their idolatrous behavior, but they would not listen, so He tore the 12 tribes asunder, sending the 10 northern tribes into captivity at the hands of the Assyrians. Then God sent Jeremiah to give Judah the last warning before He cast them out of the land, decimating the nation and sending them into captivity in the pagan kingdom of Babylon. Jeremiah, a faithful, God-fearing man, was called to tell Judah that, because of their unrepentant sin, their God had turned against them and was now prepared to remove them from the land at the hands of a pagan king.
Jeremiah was chosen by God before birth to be a prophet to the nation of Judah (Jeremiah 1:4–50). He spoke the words of the Lord during the reigns of Kings Josiah (2 Chronicles 36:1), Jehoiakim (2 Chronicles 36:5), and Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:18–19). Jeremiah grieved over the wickedness of his people and the impending judgment the nation’s sins had provoked. Jeremiah’s warnings went mostly unheeded, and he responded to Judah’s rebellion with tears of mourning (Jeremiah 13:17). Jeremiah has been dubbed “the weeping prophet” because of the often gloomy nature of his message and the grief he expressed for his people.
God’s plan for Jeremiah called for loneliness and suffering, but the Lord was never far from him (Jeremiah 1:7–8). Because of the impending judgment on Judah, God forbade Jeremiah to marry or have children (Jeremiah 16:2). While that prohibition may have increased the prophet’s loneliness for a time, it was also a blessing as he did not have to watch his family torn from him when the Babylonians invaded Judah and destroyed Jerusalem (Jeremiah 16:3–4).
Jeremiah the weeping prophet stood alone declaring God’s words while his beloved nation continued to reject the path of life. That ongoing rejection and personal isolation cost him greatly, as many in ministry understand. Those who heed God’s call on their lives may suffer many abuses from an ungodly world. A. W. Tozer wrote, “Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart” (Man—The Dwelling Place of God).
Jeremiah’s cross to bear was obedience to his role as Judah’s prophet, and he bore it with courage as the weeping prophet. Many today who’ve been called by God are coming to understand Jeremiah’s position. In our tumultuous world, our voices often seem lost in the wind. Some Christians respond to the cultural insanity with angry tirades and name-calling that do nothing to further the cause of Christ. But many weep, as Jeremiah did, for the fate of people who have been deceived by the evil one (see Psalm 119:136). In his sorrow, Jeremiah the weeping prophet revealed the heart of God. The Lord Jesus also wept over those upon whom judgment was coming: “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes’” (Luke 19:41–42). It should comfort us to know that, when we weep for the fate of lost people, God Himself joins us (Jeremiah 9:1, 10). When Jeremiah wept over Judah’s rebellion, He was not alone. The Lord wept with Him.
There came a day when the Lord called a halt to the mourning over Judah, and Jeremiah the weeping prophet delivered a message of hope: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,’ declares the Lord. ‘They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your descendants’” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).
The Lord never leaves His people hopeless. In judgment there is mercy. Even in our rebellion, God offers an open door (Revelation 3:8). There is a season for everything, including weeping (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8). Though we may weep now, a day will come for God’s people when He will “wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17; cf. 21:4). Although Jeremiah was a weeping prophet during his faithful ministry on earth, he is now comforted for eternity. He has discovered, as we will, too, that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
The Ten Plagues of Egypt—also known as the Ten Plagues, the Plagues of Egypt, or the Biblical Plagues—are described in Exodus 7—12. The plagues were ten disasters sent upon Egypt by God to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelite slaves from the bondage and oppression they had endured in Egypt for 400 years. When God sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, He promised to show His wonders as confirmation of Moses’ authority (Exodus 3:20). This confirmation was to serve at least two purposes: to show the Israelites that the God of their fathers was alive and worthy of their worship (Exodus 6:6–8; 12:25–27) and to show the Egyptians that their gods were nothing (Exodus 7:5; 12:12; Numbers 33:4).
The idea that Christians are overcomers is a theme throughout the apostle John’s writings. He mentions believers overcoming the devil or the “the evil one” in 1 John 2:13–14. In the book of Revelation, John refers to believers as victorious conquerors multiple times (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). The apostle is not implying that only certain “super-Christians” are overcomers; rather, every true believer is an overcomer because he has been born of God: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4–5, ESV).
John states that “our faith” is the victory that overcomes the world. The original Greek terms translated as “our faith” in 1 John 5:4 refer to putting our trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ or believing in the gospel’s message. Anyone who believes in Jesus for salvation and trusts in Christ’s atoning work on the cross—His death and resurrection—shares in His victory over sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15), death (Acts 2:24), and the forces of evil at work in the world (1 John 3:8; Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). Through faith, we believe in Jesus Christ and are born of God (Galatians 2:16). Through faith, we surrender our wills to His. Our faith is the key to victory. The only way to overcome the world is through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
At salvation, Christians are “hidden with Christ in God” through the work of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes all believers into one body—the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). We are “in Christ,” and He is “in us” (Colossians 1:27). John explains that we are overcomers because, as children of God, His Spirit lives in us: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We Christians will still battle with sin and darkness because we live in a fallen world. John makes it clear that life here on earth can be challenging: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:16–17, ESV).
Jesus assures us that our salvation is secure (John 3:15–16; 10:28). The Holy Spirit guarantees that we belong to God and seals us for the “day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). But in the meantime, we must “live by faith in the Son of God” who loves us and gave His life for us (Galatians 2:20). Only then can we exclaim, like Paul, “Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
We can draw strength and encouragement from Scripture, knowing that the ultimate, eternal victory has already been accomplished in Jesus. The victory is won—past tense—through our union with Christ and our identification with Him. But we continue to overcome this world in our daily life experiences by walking in faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in “the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” to be with us and carry us through all “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword. . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:35–37). We triumph in any and every situation, “facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need,” through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:12, ESV).
Our faith, explains Paul, is a protective piece of spiritual armor in this life: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16, ESV). No force of evil, no weapon of darkness can overcome the person who trusts in Christ. On the contrary, our faith in Jesus is the victory that overcomes the world.
Twice in the book of Revelation, John mentions a “sea of glass” near the throne of God. John does not elaborate much about what this sea of glass actually is. Is it water that looks like glass? Is it smooth or rough like broken glass? Does it move like the waves of the sea, or is it stationary? As we know it, the sea is a dynamic, moving force, but “glass” gives the impression of stillness. How can a sea be made of glass? What is John talking about?
Revelation 4:6 says, “Before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.” And Revelation 15:2 says, “I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire.” In neither verse does John say that he saw a literal sea of glass; rather, he says, “There was as it were a sea of glass” and “I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass.” The words of comparison make a big difference. It is one thing to say you were struck by lightning; it is quite another thing to say you feel as if you were struck by lightning.
Apparently, what John saw was impossible to describe – it was so different from anything he had seen that he was compelled to describe it using a contradictory statement. Expressing the inexpressible may demand an oxymoron. Whatever John saw, it obviously had qualities both of the sea and of glass. Perhaps it had the sea’s motion and expanse and glass’s transparency and purity. Add to that the words “crystal” and “mingled with fire,” and chances are that John was trying to convey the vivid brilliance, vast expanse, and lucid purity of what he saw.
Daniel’s vision of four beasts. Ezekiel’s vision of wheels with eyes. John’s vision of a sea of crystalline glass. Any time the prophets described visions of the spiritual world, they were forced to use metaphorical language, and that can be confusing. Finite human language cannot fully describe infinite things. The human mind is too limited to apprehend all the realities of the spiritual realm. But we have this confidence: the prophets and apostles wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the words they chose are the best possible communication. Daniel, Ezekiel, and John faithfully described what they saw, and we must faithfully attempt to “decode” their descriptions. For now, we see “through a glass darkly,” and, to a certain degree, the “sea of glass” and other heavenly verities will remain mysteries – until we see them for ourselves with glorified eyes and minds.
James 1:2-4 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” This is the very first thing James writes in his letter after his salutation. Why? Because of its import. Many Christians think once they’ve made that decision for Christ that everything will fall into place and life will be that proverbial bowl of cherries. And when trials and tough times come upon them or continue, they begin to question, “why?” Wondering how they could possibly endure horrible circumstances and consider it joy.
Peter also tackles this subject of joy through trials. “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).
In both of these passages, we see the instruction of what we should do. ‘Consider it pure joy…’ ‘In this you greatly rejoice…’ Why? Because trials make us stronger. The James passage clearly states that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. And the Peter passage states that our faith, which is priceless, will be proved genuine and result in praise to God. But how? How can we find joy in the midst of all the junk, hardships, and painful circumstances?
First, we need to understand that the joy the world gives is not the same as the joy the Spirit gives. Worldly joy or happiness comes and goes as often as waves hitting the shore. It isn’t something you can cling to when you’ve lost a loved one or are facing bankruptcy. The Spirit’s joy or happiness, on the other hand, can stay with you for the long haul. For the believer, the fruit of the Spirit, including joy, is like a bottomless well of water—there’s always an abundant supply. Even in the darkest days, when sadness, grief, and loss may threaten to overwhelm you, God’s joy is there.
Second, we need to understand that God’s joy cannot be taken away. Oh, you might think that it’s gone—that the hands of misfortune have snatched it from you—but it’s not. As believers, we are promised the constant presence of the Holy Spirit. We are promised His joy. Just as our salvation is assured through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice for all. Jesus’ words in John 15:11, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” Other examples, Acts 13:52, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 16:34, “The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.”
Third, we need to stop wallowing, whining, and complaining and grab onto God’s joy. Just like salvation, joy is a free and perfect gift from Him, and we must reach out and accept that gift. Grab onto it. Like a lifeline. Choose joy. Over bitterness, anger, and sorrow. Make a decision to choose joy every day. No matter what. Look at these great examples in Scripture: “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). “Be joyful always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). “You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions” (Hebrews 10:34). And the best illustration of all, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
All through Scripture we see the persecution of the church, the trials and hardships that believers have faced. The challenge then is to truly learn how to consider each trial joy.
This topic is very near and dear to my heart because it is a lesson I’m relearning each and every day. My daughter has a rare nerve disorder, she’s had brain surgery, and we’ve faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles, mountains of medical bills, bankruptcy, and foreclosure. But you know what I have discovered? God’s joy really is there. You can consider each trial joy, you can greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory even when you feel like you are face-first in the mud puddle. You can endure whatever circumstances are making you quake in your boots right now. If you have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ—you have all you need.
Grab onto God’s joy.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to the disciples on a number of occasions. John 21 records the third of those instances and includes the notable mention of 153 fish. Peter and the others had just witnessed another miracle of Jesus involving a large catch of fish, and “Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn” (John 21:11).
On this occasion Jesus appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, as they were in their boat returning from an unsuccessful night of fishing (John 21:1–3). Jesus, whom they had not yet recognized, called to the disciples from the shore, asking them whether they had caught any fish (John 21:4–5). After the disciples responded that they had not, Jesus instructed them to cast their nets on the right (starboard) side of the boat. They did, and they caught so many fish in the net that they couldn’t bring the nets in (John 21:6). John quickly realized the man on the shore was Jesus, and he told Peter. Peter jumped in the water—presumably to swim to shore to see Jesus (John 21:7). The other disciples, meanwhile, came in the boat, being only about 200 cubits (or 100 yards) from the shore (John 21:8). When they arrived at shore, Peter went back into the boat to help them collect the fish, and they counted 153 fish—and large fish, at that. While there were so many fish, the net did not break (John 21:11).
The meaning of the 153 fish in John 21:11 is evident from the context. As career fisherman, the disciples would not have been strangers to the process of tallying their catch. These were apparently big enough fish to put strain on the fishermen and the nets (though, miraculously, the nets were not torn). That John mentions the number of 153 fish emphasizes the fact that something extraordinary had happened, because Someone extraordinary was there. The 153 fish provided further evidence to the disciples that the resurrected Jesus had power over nature just as He had demonstrated before His crucifixion. Earlier, John had recorded that Jesus turned the water into wine (John 2), healed an official’s son (John 4), healed a lame man (John 5), fed 5,000 people from five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6), walked on water (John 6), healed a man who had been born blind (John 9), raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), and rose from the dead Himself (John 20). The 153 fish in John 21:11 might seem insignificant compared to these magnificent signs, but to an audience of fisherman who had failed to catch even one fish during an entire night of work, this remarkable catch provided more evidence that their belief in Jesus was well placed.
Just a few verses before John records the catching of the 153 fish, John explains that his purpose in writing was so that people would believe in Jesus and have life in His name (John 20:30–31). There were many signs and works of Jesus that John could have recorded, but he chose to record those included in the Gospel of John so his readers could have confidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31), and that He is indeed equal with God (John 5:18).
Isaiah 61 introduces a person upon whom is the Spirit of the Lord God (Adonai Yahweh) and who is anointed by the Lord (Yahweh): “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, . . . the Lord has anointed me” (Isaiah 61:1a). This person would bring good news to the afflicted; He was sent to bind up the brokenhearted and “to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Isaiah 61:1b, ESV). This one would also proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of God (Isaiah 61:2). He would comfort those who mourn in Zion, replanting them as “oaks of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:3, ESV). He would rebuild the ruins and repair the devastation (Isaiah 61:4), so that the Lord would be glorified. This prophecy speaks of coming days in which the people of Israel would be healed and freed, God would have His vengeance, and the people of Zion would be restored to their cities and their land.
Who is this person sent to proclaim liberty to the captives? The New Testament Gospels speak of Him. Centuries after Isaiah wrote his prophecy, Jesus was teaching in a synagogue. He was handed a scroll of Isaiah, and He began to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” (Luke 4:18). He continued to the line that said, “To set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” and stopped reading (Luke 4:18–21, ESV). The portion Jesus read included the proclaiming of liberty to the captives; after He rolled up the scroll, He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Jesus was claiming to be the One sent to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, and to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners. Jesus said that He was the person Isaiah was prophesying about.
Philippians 1:21 says,
“For to me, to live is Christ,
and
to die is gain.”
Most people focus on the second part of the verse, “to die is gain,” and contemplate
the joys of heaven.
But we should not overlook what comes before. The importance of the phrase “to live is Christ” cannot be overstated. In all honesty, this phrase should be central to every Christian’s life.
In this statement, the apostle Paul is saying that everything he has tried to be, everything he is, and everything he looked forward to being pointed to Christ. From the time of Paul’s conversion until his martyrdom, every move he made was aimed at
advancing the
knowledge, gospel,
and
church of Christ
Paul’s
singular aim was to
bring
glory to Jesus
“To live is Christ”
means that we
proclaim the gospel of Christ.
Paul preached in synagogues; he preached at riversides; he preached as a prisoner; he preached as an apostle;
he preached as a tentmaker. His message was constant:
“Jesus Christ and him crucified”
(1 Corinthians 2:2). He brought the message of Christ’s sacrifice to kings, soldiers, statesmen, priests, and philosophers, Jews and Gentiles, men and women. He would preach to literally anyone who would listen.
“To live is Christ” means that we imitate the example of Christ. Everything that Jesus did and said, that’s what Paul wanted to do and say. The church benefitted from his godly example: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). What would Jesus do? That’s what we want to do.
“To live is Christ” means that we pursue the knowledge of Christ. We want to know Christ better and better each day. Not just a set of facts about Christ, but Christ Himself. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
“To live is Christ” means that we are willing to give up anything that prevents us from having Christ. Paul’s testimony in this regard: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:7-9). We cling to the promise of our Lord in Mark 10:29-30 that our sacrifices for Jesus’ sake will be repaid a hundredfold.
“To live is Christ” means that Christ is our focus, our goal, and our chief desire. Christ is the center point of our mind, heart, body and soul. Everything that we do, we do for Christ’s glory. As we run the “race marked out for us,” we lay aside the entangling sin and worldly distractions, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is our life.
The captives to whom Jesus proclaimed liberty were spiritual captives to sin and to the law. The people’s outward obedience to the law and their deeds of righteousness were not enough to gain them access to the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:20). As the apostle Paul explained later, the people were actually in bondage to the law (Romans 7:6), and they needed to be freed. The law could only bring greater awareness of their sin. It was never intended for or capable of making people righteous.
Jesus proclaimed liberty to the captives by explaining that the law was not their way into the kingdom. They could only have righteousness and eternal life by believing in Him (e.g., John 3:16; 6:47). Jesus announced the coming of His kingdom (Matthew 4:17). Mercifully, before His kingdom was inaugurated, Jesus proclaimed the good news about how spiritual captives could have liberty and be free. Those who believed in Him would be no longer be bound by the law (Romans 7:6), and they would be no longer be in bondage to sin (Romans 6:6).
The righteousness of God has always been received by grace through faith (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Ephesians 2:8–9) and never by works or human efforts (Romans 3:28). Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, proclaiming liberty to the captives (see Matthew 11:28 and John 8:32). He gave them the knowledge of how they could gain God’s righteousness and enter His kingdom—by belief in Jesus and not by works. Many thought that they could enter His kingdom by their own righteousness and efforts, and Jesus sternly yet mercifully corrected them. The righteousness of God can only come by grace through faith in Jesus. That is how captives are given liberty.
Revelation 21:1 says, “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” There is no reason not to take this literally, that God’s new earth will not contain vast areas of salt water spanning the globe. Of course, bodies of fresh water, such as the river in Revelation 22:1, could still exist in abundance in the new earth.
Prophetic passages about Jesus’ first coming were fulfilled literally. Non-prophetic passages in the Bible are also largely literal. If a certain passage is not meant to be interpreted literally, there will be obvious contextual clues: e.g., an inanimate object will be used to describe a living thing (Jesus is the bread), life will be attributed to an inanimate object (the trees clap their hands), or an expression will be out of character with the thing described (Herod is a fox). Revelation 21:1 has no such clues; therefore, there is no good reason to interpret as figurative the revelation that the new earth will be absent a sea.
Since Revelation 21 reads like a factual description of the new heaven and new earth, and since Scripture provides no other explanation, verse 1 most likely means simply what it says: in the new earth there will no longer be any sea.
While this may be disturbing to some who love the sea, we cannot create an alternative meaning just to suit our preferences or biases. We may also find Jesus’ words in Matthew 22:30 about there being no marriage in heaven to be a little disconcerting; however, we cannot twist any verse’s meaning just to make ourselves feel more comfortable. We have to accept by faith that whatever God, in His perfect wisdom, has planned is the best possible reality.
Having taken the side of literalism, we acknowledge that there are other interpretations of the statement there was no longer any sea. Some believe that the “sea” in Revelation 21:1 refers only to the Mediterranean Sea. When John peers into the future, he sees that the Mediterranean is gone. Elsewhere in Scripture, the Mediterranean Sea is simply referred to as “the sea” (e.g., Joshua 17:10).
Others believe that the statement there was no longer any sea is a figurative reference to there being no more divisions among humanity. In our current world, the oceans provide natural barriers between nations and people groups. According to this interpretation, John’s vision predicts that, in the new earth, humanity will be not be separated by any means.
Another view is that the statement there was no longer any sea refers to the absence of anything that is perilous, unpredictable, or tumultuous. The sea in John’s time was often viewed as place of danger and changeableness. Jesus spoke of “the roaring and tossing of the sea” as part of the tribulation of the end times (Luke 21:25). Psalm 46 speaks of the need to trust God, although the sea’s “waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (verse 3). According to this interpretation, God’s promise is that the new earth will not be a place of turmoil or fear.
Earlier in Revelation, the “sea” was the source of the satanically empowered beast (Revelation 13:1). This has led some to interpret the statement there was no longer any sea in Revelation 21:1 to mean that the source of evil in the world is gone. No longer will there be opportunity for rebellion in God’s creation.
John’s statement that there will be no more sea in the new earth is the first of seven things that are “no more.” The other six promises are that the new order of things will have no more death, mourning, weeping, pain (Revelation 21:4), curse (Revelation 22:3), and night (Revelation 21:25; 22:5).
Revelation 21:1 and the statement there was no longer any sea is part of a description of the re-creation of the whole universe, after the tribulation, after the millennium, after the final rebellion. Things will obviously be very different on the new earth from what they are now. The current earth is mostly covered by water, but the new earth will have a different geography and therefore a different climate.
In the end, the key is that God will make everything beautiful in His time. Whatever He has planned for us, it will be for the best. Eye has not seen nor ear heard the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
The New Jerusalem, which is also called the Tabernacle of God, the Holy City, the City of God, the Celestial City, the City Foursquare, and Heavenly Jerusalem, is literally heaven on earth. It is referred to in the Bible in several places (Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:10; 12:22–24; and 13:14), but it is most fully described in Revelation 21.
In Revelation 21, the recorded history of man is at its end. All of the ages have come and gone. Christ has gathered His church in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15–17). The Tribulation has passed (Revelation 6—18). The battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:17–21). Satan has been chained for the 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 20:1–3). A new, glorious temple has been established in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40—48). The final rebellion against God has been quashed, and Satan has received his just punishment, an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7–10.) The Great White Throne Judgment has taken place, and mankind has been judged (Revelation 20:11–15).
In Revelation 21:1 God does a complete make-over of heaven and earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:12–13). The new heaven and new earth are what some call the “eternal state” and will be “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). After the re-creation, God reveals the New Jerusalem. John sees a glimpse of it in his vision: “The Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). This is the city that Abraham looked for in faith (Hebrews 11:10). It is the place where God will dwell with His people forever (Revelation 21:3). Inhabitants of this celestial city will have all tears wiped away (Revelation 21:4).
The New Jerusalem will be fantastically huge. John records that the city is nearly 1,400 miles long, and it is as wide and as high as it is long—the New Jerusalem being in equal in length, width, and depth (Revelation 21:15–17). The city will be dazzling in every way. It is lighted by the glory of God (verse 23). Its twelve foundations, bearing the names of the twelve apostles, are “decorated with every kind of precious stone” (verse 19). It has twelve gates, each a single pearl, bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel (verses 12 and 21). The street will be made of pure gold (verse 21).
The New Jerusalem will be a place of unimagined blessing. The curse of the old earth will be gone (Revelation 22:3). In the city are the tree of life “for the healing of the nations” and the river of life (verses 1–2). It is the place that Paul spoke of: “In the coming ages [God] might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). The New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God’s promises. The New Jerusalem is God’s goodness made fully manifest.
Who are the residents of the New Jerusalem? The Father and the Lamb are there (Revelation 21:22). Angels are at the gates (verse 12). But the city will be filled with God’s redeemed children. The New Jerusalem is the righteous counter to the evil Babylon (Revelation 17), destroyed by God’s judgment (Revelation 18). The wicked had their city, and God has His. To which city do you belong? Babylon the Great or the New Jerusalem? If you believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died and rose again and have asked God to save you by His grace, then you are a citizen of the New Jerusalem. “God raised [you] up with Christ and seated [you] with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). You have “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:4). If you have not yet trusted Christ as your Savior, then we urge you to receive Him. The invitation is extended: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).
The Parable of the Great Banquet is found in Luke 14:15-24. It is similar to the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14), but with some significant differences. The story in Luke’s Gospel was told at a dinner that Jesus attended. Jesus had just healed a man with dropsy and taught a brief lesson on serving others. Jesus then says that those who serve others “will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:14). At the mention of the resurrection, someone at the table with Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God” (verse 15). In reply, Jesus tells the Parable of the Great Banquet.
In the parable, a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to contact each of the invited guests, telling them that all was ready and the meal was about to start (verses 16-17). One after another, the guests made excuses for not coming. One had just bought a piece of land and said he had to go see it (verse 18). Another had purchased some oxen and said he was on the way to yoke them up and try them out (verse 19). Another gave the excuse that he was newly married and therefore could not come (verse 20).
When the master of the house heard these flimsy excuses, he was angry. He told his servant to forget the guest list and go into the back streets and alleyways of the town and invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (verse 21). The servant had already brought in the down-and-out townspeople, and still there was room in the banquet hall. So the master sent his servant on a broader search: “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full” (verses 22-23).
Jesus ends the parable by relating the master’s determination that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet” (verse 24).
The statement that prompted the parable is key. The man who, in verse 15, looks forward to dining in the Messianic kingdom probably subscribed to the popular notion that only Jews would be part of that kingdom. The parable Jesus tells is aimed at debunking that notion, as the following explanation makes clear:
The master of the house is God, and the great banquet is the kingdom, a metaphor that was suggested by the speaker at the table. The invited guests picture the Jewish nation. The kingdom was prepared for them, but when Jesus came preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17), He was rejected. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11).
The excuses for skipping the banquet are laughably bad. No one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly married couple from attending a social event? All three excuses in the parable reveal insincerity on the part of those invited. The interpretation is that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept Him as their Messiah.
The detail that the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden is important. These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34). Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10). His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11). The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10).
The master is not satisfied with a partially full banquet hall; he wants every place at the table to be filled. John MacArthur’s comment on this fact is that “God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.”
Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment—they missed out. The master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet.” So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ: they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven.
The basic message of the Parable of the Great Banquet could be stated this way: “The tragedy of the Jewish rejection of Christ has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. The blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith.”
The inclusion of the Gentiles is a fulfillment of Hosea 2:23, “I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Revelation 4:4 declares, “Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.” The book of Revelation nowhere specifically identifies who the twenty-four elders are. However, they are most likely representative of the Church. It is unlikely that they are angelic beings, as some suggest. The fact that they sit on thrones indicates that they reign with Christ. The Church is repeatedly said to rule and reign with Christ (Revelation 2:26-27, 5:10, 20:4; Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30).
In addition, the Greek word translated here as “elders” is never used to refer to angels, only to men, particularly to men of a certain age who are mature and able to rule the Church. The word elder would be inappropriate to refer to angels, who do not age. Their mode of dress would also indicate these are men. While angels do appear in white, white garments are more commonly found on believers, symbolizing Christ’s righteousness imputed to us at salvation (Revelation 3:5,18; 19:8).
The golden crowns worn by the elders also indicate these are men, not angels. Crowns are never promised to angels, nor are angels ever seen wearing them. The word translated “crown” here refers to the victor’s crown, worn by those who have successfully competed and won the victory, as Christ promised (Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12).
Another reason to view the twenty-four elders as the Church is the bowls they hold in Revelation 5. There, we read,
. . . 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. And 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.
You have made them
to be a
kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they
will reign on the earth”
(Revelation 5:8–10).
Note that the elders hold symbols of “the prayers of God’s people” (verse 8). This further substantiates the idea that the twenty-four elders are representative of the Church.
Some people believe these twenty-four elders represent Israel, but at the time of this vision, Israel as a whole nation had not yet been redeemed. The elders cannot represent tribulation saints for the same reason—not all had yet been converted at the time of John’s vision. The most likely option is that the elders represent the raptured Church which sings songs of redemption (Revelation 5:8-10). They wear the crowns of victory and have gone to the place prepared for them by their Redeemer (John 14:1-4).