God’s Emergency Use of Law (11:3)

The first of God’s emergency measures is the way He has used law as a model of salvation. Keep in mind, trust and love cannot be commanded or produced by force. But if it is true that God values nothing higher than our freedom, why has He made so much use of law? If all God asks is trust and love, why did He give us the Decalogue, which seems to demand our love and obedience under threat of execution? If He doesn’t wish to be seen as arbitrary, exacting, and severe, why has He surrounded us with innumerable rules?

Paul understood all about trust and freedom. He emphasized them so much that he was accused of doing away with God’s law. “No,” he said, “I intend no such thing. Faith does not abolish law. Faith establishes the law, by putting it in its proper perspective” (based on Romans 3:31). But what is the right perspective from which to view God’s use of law? “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions” (Gal 3:19, RSV).

Paul goes on to explain why the law was added. In King James language he said, “The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ” (Gal 3:25). The Greek word behind “schoolmaster” is paidagogos. Some of you can hear pedagogue in that, or the pedagogical method. But that word actually was the name given to a trusted slave whose duty it was to take the children to school, to make sure they got there and stayed there. Then it was his duty to bring them home. He was not the teacher. He was the guardian; he was the protector. Now can you see the reason for the translation in the next passage?

So the Law has been our attendant on our way to Christ, so that we might be made upright through faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer in the charge of the attendant (Gal 3:24, 25, Goodspeed).

Compare that with the New International Version of the same text: “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.”

Now which law is Paul talking about? Which law was added, because of transgression, to lead us to Christ? Was it the ceremonial law? Was it the moral law? Was it all law? Would you dare include the Ten Commandments? Perhaps it would help to consider how God gave the Ten Commandments. One day He gathered His misbehaving children together at the foot of Sinai. He announced, “I want all the murdering to stop, and all the hating to stop. I want all the stealing, cheating, lying, and immorality to stop. I want you to stop going after other gods.” What an emergency it must have been, that He had to ask His children to stop doing all those things! You recognize, of course, the Decalogue (Exod 20:3-17). It was added because of transgressions.

Have you ever had to do this in your home? What if some of you fathers had to say during morning worship, “Now Billy, let us see if we all can make this a very good day in our family. When you are at school today, do you promise not to murder any of your friends?”
“Yes, Daddy, if you insist.”
“And Mary, do you promise not to steal any more while you are in school?”
“Well yes, Daddy, if you insist.”
Then you turn to your wife and say, “And when I am at work, please do not commit adultery again. Do you promise, wife?”
“Well yes, if you insist.”

If you were to do this some morning, be sure not to leave your window open, or the neighbors will assume that terrible things are happening in your home. Imagine how the Devil must have mocked God for having to say to His children, “Please, I want all this to stop!” The law was added because of sin (Gal 3:19). There was no need before sin entered the universe to say such things to the loyal angels. They didn’t need a law to do what was right. They did what was right because it was right. It was on that awesome day when sin entered the universe that God first had to speak of law. Here on earth, as well, the law was added because of sin. And along with law, God had to say that sin, rebelliousness, and lawlessness result in death.

There are many dangers, however, in the use of law. Once law has been expressed, people will assume that doing right means merely obeying the rules. Or that sin is merely disobeying the rules. Or that the penalty for breaking the rules is execution by the Rule-giver. Or that if God forgives you He won’t have to execute you. Or that He can forgive you because someone else paid the legal penalty. But what if you turn down the offer? Will you then be painfully destroyed, perhaps even more painfully because of your ingratitude? That is the kind of understanding that can lead to the obedience that springs from fear.

But if one sees the bigger picture of all sixty-six books, you see that what God really wants is not mere obedience to the rules: He wants us to do what is right because it is right. He wants the obedience that springs from love and trust, and that is offered in the highest sense of freedom. In that view, what will happen if I choose to go my own rebellious way? He will sadly let me go, as He let His Son go. I will die, and He will cry. But there is no need to be afraid. God wishes that to be understood for all eternity.

But why then the law? It was added to protect us until we had better understanding and better motivation. So we can thank God for the rules He gave us. Some are very stern. We needed them. They were emergency measures. “Does this mean that by this faith we do away with the Law? No, not at all; instead, we uphold the Law” (Rom 3:31, GNB). Thank God for the Law because we needed it, particularly those of us who are misbehaving members of the family: “We know that the law is good if a man uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for good men but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful” (1 Tim 1:8-9, NIV). Note the same verse in the Phillips Translation: “We also know that the law is not really meant for the good man, but for the man who has neither principles nor self-control.”

If you have principles and self-control, you are led by the Holy Spirit, and you don’t need to be told to love God and to love each other. That is God’s ideal. Now the same understanding is true of the whole sacrificial system, which was certainly not against us (as was the “handwriting of requirements” in Colossians 2:14). It was to teach us things we needed to know. The sacrifices were especially given to remind us of how serious sin and its consequences are. “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins” (Heb 10:3-4, RSV).

The remedy was yet to come. But in the meantime the sacrifices reminded us of the seriousness of sin. Misunderstood, however, these very same sacrifices and ceremonies turned many people away from God. Think of what happened on crucifixion Friday, which also happened to be Passover weekend. The people who celebrated that Passover, and kept that special Sabbath, did not know the One who was represented in them. They did not understand the meaning of the ceremonies or understand God’s plan. Most of all they did not know God Himself, and nailed Him to the cross.

This was in spite of the fact that many Old Testament prophets had tried to make the meaning of the sacrifices clear, Jeremiah in particular:

For on the day that I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to them, nor give them command regarding burnt-offering or sacrifice; but this command I gave them, “Listen to My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people“ (Jer 7:22-23, Smith/Goodspeed).

Jeremiah looked forward to the day when everything would be restored, and the ceremonies that God had added because of sin would have served their purpose. “In those days. . . men shall speak no more of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord; they shall not think of it, nor remember it, nor resort to it; it will be needed no more” (Jer 3:16, RSV).

I do hope the Lord keeps the Ark of the Covenant in the heavenly museum. I would like to go look at it. It might remind us of the emergency measures God was willing to use in the past. But what was the purpose of all those ceremonies, and rituals and sacrifices? Jeremiah 31 tells us what God has always wanted:

I will put My law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know Me (Jer 31:33-34, RSV).

All God has ever wanted was to bring the family together again. This would happen when God’s law was written on their hearts and minds. And how eloquently Hosea not only taught this, but demonstrated it: “It is true love that I have wanted, not sacrifice; the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings” (Hos 6:6, Phillips). Look how well that has been put in the Good News Bible: “I would rather have My people know Me than have them burn offerings to Me” (Hos 6:6, GNB). To know God means to love Him, to trust Him, to be willing to listen. That is all God has ever wanted or ever will want for all eternity. All these emergency measures are designed to lead us back to that.

Establishing a Willingness to Listen (11:2)

God proposes to set right and to keep right all that has gone wrong in the universe. This requires first that He win us back to trust and a willingness to listen. Once that has happened, he can heal the damage done. Forgiveness alone would not repair all the damage that has been caused by this breakdown of trust and trustworthiness. It also would not secure the universe and keep it safe for all eternity. Heaven will not be peopled with pardoned criminals, but rather with trusting and trustworthy saints who have new hearts and right spirits (Psa 51:10; Ezek 36:26-27).

Granting all that, what if we are not willing to listen to God’s generous offer? What about those who have been so influenced by Satan’s lies that they have turned away to other gods, or to no gods at all? Or, much more seriously, what about those who seek to worship the true God, but worship Him as arbitrary, vengeful, and severe? And then how about all the people who live between those two extremes? How can God reach all of them?

It is no wonder that in the biblical record we see God in many and various ways (Heb 1:1) trying to reach us where we are in this emergency. He speaks a language that we can understand, leading us no faster than we are able to follow (John 16:12). He runs grave risks of being misunderstood as He has sought to gain our attention and hold it long enough to tell us the truth about Himself. When we have been hard of hearing, God has raised His voice, as on Sinai (Exod 19:16-21). When we were irreverent, He shook the ground beneath our feet (Exo 19:18) or even sent she-bears (1 Kgs 2:24), as in the days of Elisha. He also brought fire from heaven down on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18:38-39).

So many of the stories in the Bible illustrate God’s willingness to be misunderstood, just to lead us to that reverence that is the beginning of wisdom. When Israel was tempted to take sin lightly, the One who sees the sparrow fall (based on Matt 6:26) instituted that whole system of sacrifices that required the death of thousands of His creatures. When we were tempted to accept Satan’s lie that sin does not lead to death (Gen 3:4), God sent His Son to die that death and so demonstrate the truth.

The whole Bible is full of these emergency measures. In fact, I find it difficult to decide which texts to use as illustrations of the lengths to which God is willing to go. Fortunately, we have included some already in previous chapters. In fact, one could say that the whole Bible is an emergency measure. Since there are so many of these emergency measures, I thought it might be best to consider two of the most important ones, ones that are often seriously misunderstood.

“God’s Emergency Measures” (11:1)

Beginning today I continue the series of postings drawn from Conversations About God, a book in the making. These materials are based on a series of lectures/conversations between Graham Maxwell and Lou Venden that were delivered and recorded in 1984 at the Loma Linda University Church. I found these conversations profoundly insightful in relation to the character of God and its implications for human experience. I have been editing these casual conversations into written language, seeking to preserve, as far as possible, the voices of the original protagonists. The first half of each chapter (each blog is numbered according to its place in a chapter: 11:1, 11:2) is based on a lecture by Maxwell, the last half is based on a conversation between Maxwell and Venden about the topic. While my hand has been in every part of this process, the ideas from here on are largely those of Maxwell and Venden.

In this chapter we consider the extraordinary lengths to which God has been willing to go to hold His universal family together, as He demonstrates the truth about His character and government, and seeks to bring the whole conflict to a successful end. At infinite cost, God has sought to convince the universe that His government will forever be one of peace and freedom based on mutual and well-founded trust. But when Satan plunged the family into a crisis of rebellion and distrust, emergency measures were required to maintain a semblance of order and respect until the basis for real peace and freedom could be clarified and confirmed. In the end, as we have been discussing, God will settle for nothing less than peace and freedom, established upon mutual trust, based on all the evidence that He has provided for us through the years.

The emergency itself, of course, is the breakdown of this trust and trustworthiness that we have discussed in previous chapters. Our stubborn and suspicious unwillingness to listen has made it hard for God to heal the damage done by sin. The damaging consequences of this breakdown of trust in the family are very clearly portrayed throughout Scripture and history. And we can see them as well in society all around us.

Returning to Conversations About God

Yesterday the Seventh-day Adventist Church completed a quarter-long series of adult Sabbath School lessons on the book of Revelation. My former student, Ranko Stefanovic, helped to author the main lessons studied around the world and I helped to author the Teachers’ Edition. Through this blog, last quarter, Ranko and I were able to share with the world the editorial changes that occurred after we turned our manuscripts in. I believe this has led to a number of insights into what at least some in church leadership are thinking about Revelation today.

This week I return to a project that I began a couple of years ago, sharing the content of an upcoming book entitled Conversations About God. The book will be based on a series of twenty lectures by Graham Maxwell, each followed by a back and forth discussion with Lou Venden, then pastor of the Loma Linda University Church. I find this material inspiring, enlightening and comforting. As I prepared these “conversations” for print, I sought to retain Graham Maxwell’s unique voice while adding clarification and references to Scripture.

I have shared the first ten chapters on this blog site from April 2017 through the end of that year. I then suspended these postings to share material on Revelation, homosexuality and the political issues in the Adventist Church last Fall. I then posted summaries of the first ten chapters to refresh the blog audience in December 2018 before beginning the series on the adult Sabbath School lessons referenced in the first paragraph above. It is time now to complete posting of the Conversations About God with chapters 11-20. These will be posted in bite-sized pieces roughly every other day until the series is completed.

It is my hope and prayer that you will find this material life-changing as well as stimulating thoughts and questions. If travel permits, the first posting will occur on Tuesday, April 2 with the introductory portion of Chapter Eleven entitled “God’s Emergency Measures.”

Ranko Stefanovic on the Editorial Changes to His Lesson Manuscript on Rev 19-22

This is the last posting of the quarter. It has been a joy to share the insights of my friend, Ranko Stefanovic, on the revisions to his lesson on Revelation in the Adult Bible Study Guide series. Below you will find his analysis of this week’s revisions, followed by his original manuscript. All the words that follow are his:

This is the final lesson of this year’s SS Quarterly on the Book of Revelation. For me, this quarterly has been a great educational experience. I received numerous emails, phone calls, and text and FB messages with different comments. About 95% of the messages were highly positive. It appears that both the standard and teachers editions have impacted both the minds and lives of many Adventists across the globe. All the glory to God for that. I want to express thanks to my friend Jon Paulien for his significant contribution to this SS Quarterly.

This final lesson has undergone some unnecessary alterations, although my original intention in the original manuscript has been retained in most cases.

The first half of the Sunday lesson was significantly altered. The following paragraphs have been replaced by a long quotation from Ellen White’s writings:

“As John described Christ’s return and his subsequent union with his people, he had ancient Jewish weddings in mind. The prospective bridegroom would go to the house of the bride-to-be for the betrothal. Upon payment of the dowry, the couple was considered married, but they could not live together. The groom would return to his father’s house to prepare a place for them. The bride remained at her father’s house to prepare herself. When the preparations had been made, the groom would return to take his bride to his father’s house, where the wedding would take place.

Two thousand years ago, Christ left His heavenly home to be betrothed to his bride on earth. After paying the dowry with His life at Calvary, He returned to His Father’s house to “prepare a place” for His bride (see John 14:2-3), while His bride remained on earth preparing herself. At the end of time, He will come back and take her to His Father’s house.”

The rest of the Sunday lesson has been edited, and in some cases, the edits improved the text.

The Monday lesson, except for the questions that begin and conclude that day’s content, has been completely altered, as the exegetical analysis of the biblical text was mostly replaced with a long quote from Ellen White.

The edits in the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday lessons did not change my intention in the original manuscript, but rather improved the quality of the text, except that the following sentences were removed from the middle part of the Thursday lesson:
“The New Jerusalem thus functions not only as the temple but also as the Most Holy place. In the earthly temple, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy place. In the New Jerusalem, this is a privilege granted to all the redeemed.”

Lesson 13 * March 23-29

“I Make All Things New”

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. 19:6-9; 20:1-15; 21:1-8; 22:6-21; John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 6:2-3; 1 Pet. 3:10-13.
Memory Text: “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful’” (Revelation 21:5, NKJV).
The destruction of end-time Babylon is bad news for those who collaborated with this apostate religious system for personal benefit and gain because Babylon’s downfall means their own loss. For God’s people, however, it is good news (Rev. 19:1-6). Babylon was responsible for inducing the secular political powers to persecute and harm them (Rev. 18:24). The destruction of this great adversary means deliverance and salvation. This salvation is possible only after the total annihilation of this opponent of God and enemy of God’s people.
With the destruction of Babylon, the prayer of God’s people in the scene of the fifth seal is ultimately answered. Their cry: “How long, O Lord?” represents the cry of God’s oppressed and suffering people from Abel to the time when God will finally vindicate His people (Ps. 79:5; Hab. 1:2; Dan. 12:6-7). The Book of Revelation assures God’s people that the evil, oppression, and suffering will come to an end.
With the downfall of end-time Babylon, it is now time for Christ to come and usher in His everlasting kingdom. The remaining chapters of the book describe the conclusion of the Battle of Armageddon to explain how the destruction of end-time Babylon will actually occur (see Rev. 19:11-21). This is followed by the destruction of Satan as the great archenemy of God at the end of the millennium and of those who sided with him (Rev. 20). The end of evil means a new beginning with the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom, which will be free of pain and suffering.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 29.

Sunday March 24
The Wedding Supper of the Lamb
The vision begins with a jubilant rejoicing in heaven celebrating what God has done for His people and an announcement that the long awaited union between Christ and his people is about to take place.
Read Revelation 19:6-9 along with John 14:1-3. How does a wedding appropriately illustrate the long awaited union between Christ and His people?
As John described Christ’s return and his subsequent union with his people, he had ancient Jewish weddings in mind. The prospective bridegroom would go to the house of the bride-to-be for the betrothal. Upon payment of the dowry, the couple was considered married, but they could not live together. The groom would return to his father’s house to prepare a place for them. The bride remained at her father’s house to prepare herself. When the preparations had been made, the groom would return to take his bride to his father’s house, where the wedding would take place.
Two thousand years ago, Christ left His heavenly home to be betrothed to his bride on earth. After paying the dowry with His life at Calvary, He returned to His Father’s house to “prepare a place” for His bride (see John 14:2-3), while His bride remained on earth preparing herself. At the end of time, He will come back and take her to His Father’s house.
How does the symbol of the bride appropriately describe God’s people as they await Christ’s return? What does the statement that the bride was “granted” to be arrayed in fine and clean dress suggest about salvation (see Isa. 61:10; Phil. 2:12-13)?
Revelation 19:8 states that the fine and clean linen were given to the bride by Christ. This shows that God’s people do not claim any merit for their deeds. The robes of God’s people represent “the righteous acts of the saints.” They are supplied to them by Christ, not made by them, and are washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). Jesus told a parable about a wedding. However, one of the guests preferred to wear his own attire instead of the wedding garment provided by the king, and was expelled from the wedding (Matt. 22:8-14).
Revelation 3:18 shows that the robes provided by Christ is the greatest need of God’s people living at the time of the end. That Jesus offers the Laodiceans to “buy” from him that robe shows that he asks for something in exchange: our self-sufficiency and trust in ourselves and our good works.
Revelation portrays God’s end-time people both as the bride preparing for the wedding and the invited guests? What truth do these two symbols convey to you personally?

Monday March 25
The Conclusion of the Battle of Armageddon
In Revelation 5, John watched as Christ was bestowed with authority to rule. However, His rule has been constantly defied by Satan’s usurping claims. The time has come for Christ to fight the decisive battle against Satan and his forces and assume His rightful rule.
Read Revelation 19:11-16 along with 16:12-14. What does Christ’s name as “the Word of God” and the fact that the sword comes from His mouth suggest about the nature of the final battle?
Christ is accompanied by “the armies in heaven” who are pictured as riding on white horses and “clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” This is the robe of the end-time saints signifying their righteous deeds (see Rev. 19:8). Revelation 17:14 shows that the end-time saints will accompany Christ in the final battle. In Revelation 7, they are portrayed as the militant 144,000 ready to enter the final battle. While in reality on the earth waiting for translation (1 Thess. 4:16-17), God’s people are spiritually already in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6). They are portrayed as joining Christ in defeating the enemy’s forces.
Read Revelation 19:17-21 along with 6:15-17. The link between the two texts shows that the destruction of the wicked occurs in the context of the Second Coming. The scene here reflects ancient battlefields following a decisive battle. Compare the gruesome language here with the vision in Ezekiel 39:17-21, which describes the judgment of the pagan nation Gog.
In the sixth plague, the satanic triad entices the world leaders to engage in the battle against God’s end-time people. A worldwide confederacy is formed (Rev. 16:13-16). At that point, Christ appears on the scene (Dan. 12:1) and overthrows the satanic confederacy. Revelation 6:15-17 pictures the mighty men running in panic to hide from the Lamb’s wrath. The two members of the satanic triad—the beast and the false prophet—are cast into the lake of fire. The lake of fire here refers to the earth destroyed by fire, denoting the ultimate end of all rebellion against God.
The rest of the people are killed by the sword proceeding from Christ’s mouth. Paul explains that they are destroyed by the glory of Christ’s appearance (2 Thess. 1:8-10). The whole earth now resembles a battlefield filled with dead bodies. The defeat of the evil confederacy is total and complete.
Chapter 19 describes two suppers. Readers have a choice either to eat at the wedding supper of the Lamb or to be on the menu of the scavengers at the great supper of God. All have to make a choice.

Tuesday March 26
The Millennium
The Battle of Armageddon ends with the complete defeat of the satanic confederacy. Satan’s two allies are thrown into the lake of fire while the rest of the people are slain, awaiting the final judgment. The only person left is Satan.
Read Revelation 20:1-3 along with Jeremiah 4:23-26. During the millennium, how does the desolated and depopulated earth resemble Palestine during the exile? In what way is Satan bound by chains?
The 1,000 years (or millennium) begin with the return of Christ. At this time, Satan and his fallen angels are chained. The chaining of Satan is symbolic because spiritual beings cannot be physically bound. Satan is bound by circumstances. The plagues have desolated and depopulated the earth, bringing it into a chaotic condition resembling the earth before creation (Gen 1:2). In such a state, the earth functions as Satan’s prison during the millennium. Since there are no human beings to tempt and harm, all Satan and his demonic associates can do is contemplate the consequences of their rebellion against God.
Read Revelation 20:4-15. Where are the saints during the millennium? What happens at the end of the millennium? How is Satan unchained? In what way will Satan’s ultimate defeat occur? How will the final judgment take place?
Revelation shows that God’s people will spend the millennium in the heavenly places Christ prepared for them. John sees them sitting on thrones as kings and priests, judging the world. Jesus promised the disciples that they would “sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt. 19:28). Paul stated that the saints would judge the world (1 Cor. 6:2-3).
This judgment concerns the fairness of God’s actions towards His creation. Throughout history Satan has raised many doubts concerning God’s character and His dealings with the beings He created. During the millennium, God allows the redeemed to access the records of history in order to find answers to all questions concerning the fairness of His decisions regarding those who were lost as well as questions dealing with His leading in their own lives. At the conclusion of the millennium, all questions regarding God’s justice are forever settled. God’s people are able to see beyond a shadow of doubt that Satan’s accusations were unfounded. They are now ready to witness the administration of God’s justice at the final judgment.
Do you have some questions regarding the farness of God’s dealing in your personal life as well as in the lives of others? Does it help to know that one day we will get answers to those questions?

Wednesday March 27
“No More Sea”
With the eradication of sin, eternity begins. This earth is to be transformed into the home of the redeemed. In portraying the new earth and life on it, John draws much of the language from Genesis 1-3.
Read Revelation 21:1. In your view, why is the first thing that catches John’s attention the absence of the sea on the new earth?
The Jewish people knew three heavens: the sky, the universe, and where God dwells (see 2 Cor. 12:2). In Revelation 21:1, the earth’s atmosphere is in view. The contaminated earth and the sky cannot endure God’s presence (Rev. 20:11). The word “new” in Greek (kainos) refers to something new in quality, not in origin and time. This planet will be purged by fire and restored to its original state (2 Pet. 3:10-13).
Particularly interesting is that the first thing John observes on the new earth is that there is no longer any sea. While the oceans will undeniably cease???? to exist, the fact that John refers to “the sea” (with the definite article) shows that he had in mind the sea by which he was surrounded on Patmos, which became for him a symbol of separation and suffering. The absence of that sea on the new earth for him meant the absence of pain and suffering.
Read Revelation 21:2-8 and 7:15-17. What parallels do you see between the descriptions of the new earth and the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2? Why do you think life on the new earth is described in terms of what it will not be?
A life free of suffering and death on the restored earth is guaranteed by God’s presence among His people. This presence is realized with the New Jerusalem, “the tabernacle of God” where God will dwell among His people. The presence of God makes the city the temple of the restored earth.
God’s presence guarantees freedom from suffering: no tears, death, sorrow, crying, or pain, which are all the consequences of sin. With the eradication of sin “the former things have passed away (NKJV).” This idea was well articulated by Mary and Martha at the death of their brother Lazarus: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, NKJV). The sisters knew that death could not exist in the presence of Christ. In the same way, the abiding presence of God on the new earth will secure freedom from the pain and suffering that we now experience in this life.
What does it mean for you personally that God will on the new earth dwell among His people?

Thursday March 28
The New Jerusalem
John now describes the new-earth’s capital. While a real place inhabited by real people, the New Jerusalem and life therein are beyond any earthly description (see 1 Cor. 2:9). The city is portrayed in terms of ancient fortified cities, the Old Testament temple, and a restored Eden.
Read Revelation 21:9-21a. What are the exterior features of the New Jerusalem? Why do you think the city is pictured as surrounded by colossal walls even though there is nothing on the new earth to harm it?
The New Jerusalem is referred to as the bride, the Lamb’s wife. In Revelation 19:7-8 this metaphor is applied to God’s people. The New Jerusalem is the place where Christ will ultimately be united with His people.
The city is surrounded by a high wall with twelve gates—three gates on each of the four sides allowing entry from any direction. This points to the universal scope of the city. In the New Jerusalem, everybody has unlimited access to God’s presence.
The city is further pictured as a perfect cube; it is 12,000 furlongs or stadia in length, width, and height. The cube consists of twelve edges. Thus, the city totals 144,000 stadia, which is the number of the totality of God’s people (Rev. 7:4). In the Old Testament temple, the Most Holy place was a perfect cube (1 Kings 6:20). The New Jerusalem thus functions not only as the temple but also as the Most Holy place. In the earthly temple, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy place. In the New Jerusalem, this is a privilege granted to all the redeemed.

Read Revelation 21:21b-22:5. What interior features of the city remind you of the Garden of Eden? What is the significance of the statement that there will be no more curse in the city (Rev. 22:3)?
The most prominent feature of the New Jerusalem is the river of water of life flowing from God’s throne (see Gen. 2:10). In contrast to the river in Babylon at which God’s people were sitting as captives longing for Jerusalem (Ps. 137), on the banks of the river of life in the New Jerusalem, God’s wandering people of all ages have found their home.
On both sides of the river is the tree life with leaves for “the healing of the nations.” This healing does not refer to disease, as on the new earth there will be no disease. It refers to healing all the wounds caused by the barriers that have torn people apart throughout history. The redeemed of all ages and from all nations now belong to one family of God.

Friday March 29
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Desolation of the Earth” and “The Controversy Ended,” pp. 653-678, in The Great Controversy, pp. 653-678.
The Book of Revelation concludes with what was introduced at the very beginning: the Second Coming of Christ in power and glory and the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom. The return of Christ, when He will finally be united with His bride, is the climactic point in the book.
However, the book does not want to put these events in an unrealistic context. That Jesus is coming soon is the first reality. The second reality is that we are still here waiting for His return. While waiting, we must have a clear understanding of the messages of Revelation by reading it again and again until the end of all things comes. The messages of the Book of Revelation constantly remind us while waiting not to look to the things of the world but to fix our eyes on Him who is our only hope. The Christ of Revelation is the answer to all human hopes and longings amidst the enigmas and uncertainties of life. He holds the future of this world and our own future in His hands.
The book also reminds us that, before the end comes, we are entrusted with the task of proclaiming the message of His soon return, first to the members of our own family who do not have a relationship with Him, then to our neighbors, to people where we work, or as missionaries throughout the world. Our waiting for His return is not passive, but active. Both the Spirit and the church call: “Come!” (Rev. 22:17). We must join that call. It is the good news, and as such, it must be proclaimed to the people of the world.
Discussion Question:
What lessons do the description of the new earth in Revelation speak to you? How does it impact your life and your preferences in life?
Many times Christians are accused of talking much about the future and spending little time focusing on the present. How has your study of Revelation helped you understand that, while looking forward to the fulfillment of the blessed hope, you can have a fulfilling and content life today?
Revelation 1:3 promises blessings to those who listen, read, heed, and keep the words of the prophecies of Revelation. As we conclude our study of this book, what are the things you have discovered that you need to heed and keep?

Revelation Teacher’s Quarterly, Week 13, March 23-30 Analysis of Changes Made in the Editorial Process for the Teacher’s Edition

Basic theme: Revelation 19-22

The changes to the Teacher’s Edition of the Adult Sabbath School Study Guide (known popularly as the Sabbath School Quarterly) for January to March 2019 were fairly minimal except for one major omission. I will review the changes that were interesting or substantive.

In the Lesson Themes part of the Overview, there are six themes, only one of which had any elaboration beyond the title. That is probably why my one elaboration (“The meaning of the “’new’ earth” for Lesson Theme I) was removed.

Under Main Themes I of the Commentary section, the second paragraph was removed. I include it here for your consideration. “Related to this, it is interesting that Genesis 1 describes the creation of the original earth as a recycling project rather than something built from nothing (Gen. 1:2-3). In conclusion, the total evidence related to the new earth falls short of certainty on this matter. What we do know is that God is not indebted to pre-existing matter, yet He seems rather fond of recycling.” I don’t know whether this was simply removed to save space or whether some part of it was offensive in some way. Let me know what you think.

In Main Themes II the word “metaphorical” was added to “souls under the altar.” I think that addition was a good idea. Minor edits in Main Themes III through VI were either OK or improved my original.

In Life Application 1 I wrote “While there will be no conversions in heaven, there will be an ongoing need for personal and relational growth.” This was changed to “There will be a need for coming to terms with the fact that some are there and some are not.” I think that is true, but I suspect there is even more. People will not only have to deal with who is missing, they will also likely have to deal with who is there. Imagine a concentration camp guard at Auschwitz is converted afterward and meets one or more of his Jewish victims in heaven. Do you think there might need to be some relational processing going on between them before either is fully ready to enjoy eternity? The leaves of the Tree of Life will be for the healing of the nations. Physical healing? I suspect not. More likely emotional and relational healing is in view. I can understand that such considerations may be considered too speculative for an “official” study guide, but I suspect there may be some healthy discussion about anyway that this week, so I thought I should share this perspective.

I think you can see that editing the Sabbath School lessons and their Teacher’s Editions is a challenging task. One cannot simply utilize editorial skills and Bible knowledge, there is a whole world of expectations to satisfy, both from central leadership and from the wider field of pastors and lay people. Today anyone can have a “bully pulpit” and attract a small or large segment of followers from around the church. Such groups exert pressure and sometimes affect editorial decisions. Although the results are sometimes (some would say often) disappointing from a scholarly perspective, I respect the process. As regards my own Teacher’s Edition, the outcome is probably the best that could have been expected.

Again, for those who don’t have access to the standard printed edition of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide or the Teacher’s Edition for this quarter, you can access them online week by week at https://www.absg.adventist.org/. My original pre-edited Teacher’s Edition manuscript for this week is provided in the previous blog. You can also download audio of me teaching the lesson ahead of time each week at http://pineknoll.org/sabbath-school-lessons.

Original Teachers Notes for Rev 19-22

I share here in blog form my original manuscript of this week’s (March 24-30) Sabbath School Adult Teacher’s Edition for people to compare with the edited version. The changes were not massive or disruptive in most cases. I share my analysis of the changes in the next blog. These comments are related to the standard quarterly edition written primarily by my friend Ranko Stefanovic.

LESSON 13
“I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW”

Part I: Overview

Key Text: Rev. 21:5.

Study Focus: Revelation nineteen through twenty-two begins with final events just before and during the Second Coming of Jesus (Rev. 19) and then gives readers a glimpse of the future beyond that event; through the millennium (Rev. 20) and into eternity (Rev. 21 and 22).

Introduction: The last four chapters of the book of Revelation offer the clearest and most detailed account in the Bible of events just before, during and after the Second Coming. While there are hints of a millennium elsewhere in the Bible (1 Cor. 15:20-22; Isa. 26:19-22), this is the only place where such a time period is clearly laid out. The account of the thousand years comes between the Second Coming of Jesus and his third and permanent return to this earth.

Lesson Themes: The lesson and the Focus passage introduce the following themes:

1. Will God Transform the Old Earth or Make a New One? The meaning of the term “new” earth.
2. Relation of Babylon’s Fall to the Fifth Seal.
3. Three Views of the Millennium.
4. Will Eternity End Up Boring? What Will God’s People Be Doing With All That Time?
5. The Backgrounds That Explain the New Jerusalem.
6. The Shape of the New Jerusalem, Pyramid or Cube?

Life Application. The Life Application section explores God’s purpose for both the thousand years of Rev. 20 and for biblical prophecy. The final Life Application explores how to respond to the teachings of Revelation.

Part II. Commentary

See Introduction of Part I for brief summaries of Rev. 19-22.

Main Themes of Lesson 13 Elaborated:
1. Will God Transform the Old Earth or Make a New One?
Rev. 20:11 states that the old earth and sky “fled away” from the presence of the one seated on the great white throne (ESV, RSV). Good synonyms for “fled away” (Greek: ephugen) are “vanish” and “disappear.” Since “no place was found for them” after they vanished, it could imply that when God makes “all things new” (Rev. 21:5, NKJV) He will build a brand, new earth rather than “recycle” the materials of the old earth into the new one. On the other hand, Wednesday’s lesson points out that “new” in Greek (kainos) means something new in quality rather than in origin or time (see 2 Cor. 5:17, but notice also Mark 2:21, where new in time is also implied).
Related to this, it is interesting that Genesis 1 describes the creation of the original earth as a recycling project rather than something built from nothing (Gen. 1:2-3). In conclusion, the total evidence related to the new earth falls short of certainty on this matter. What we do know is that God is not indebted to pre-existing matter, yet He seems rather fond of recycling.

2. Relation of Babylon’s Fall to the Fifth Seal. Sabbath afternoon’s lesson states: “With the destruction of Babylon, the prayer of God’s people, in the scene of the fifth seal, is ultimately answered.” How so? Rev. 19:1-2 makes a strong allusion to Rev. 6:10. In that verse, the souls under the altar cry out to God: “How long will it be before you “judge” and “avenge” our blood. . .” (Rev. 6:10, NRSV)? What the Greek literally says is “How long. . . not judging (Greek: krineis) and not avenging (Greek: ekdikeis)?” The verb “is” or “will be” is understood in the original and can be appropriately inserted into a translation. From the perspective of the souls under the altar, there is no evidence that God is judging or avenging their cases.
It is striking, therefore, that Rev. 19 uses the same two judgment words (“judging” and “avenging”) in the past tense to describe the fall of Babylon. The great multitude in heaven celebrate the fact that God has “judged (Greek: ekrinen) the great prostitute. . . and has avenged (Greek: exedikêsan) on her the blood of his servants” (Rev. 19:2, ESV). There is a clear relationship between the prayer of the fifth seal and the fall of Babylon.

3. Three Views of the Millennium. 1) Pre-millenialism: the Second Coming of Jesus is before the thousand years. 2) Post-millennialism: The Second Coming of Jesus is at the end of the thousand years. 3) Amillennialism: The thousand years are simply a metaphor for the entire Christian age, there is no literal thousand years. The latter view requires that the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-5) at the beginning of the millennium be a spiritual one, the new creation that comes with the gospel (John 5:22-25; 2 Cor. 5:17).
What is the biblical evidence for pre-millennialism, the Seventh-day Adventist position on the thousand years of Rev. 20? 1) The structure of Revelation. The dragon (chapter 12), beast (13), false prophet (13) and Babylon enter the end-time picture in that order. They then exit in reverse order: Babylon (18), false prophet (19), beast (19) and dragon (20). If the beast, the false prophet and Babylon have passed off the scene by Rev. 20:3, the millennium must be after the second coming. (2) The normal meaning of “came to life” (Greek: ezêsan, Rev. 20:4) and “resurrection” (Greek: anastasis, Rev. 20:5) is bodily resurrection not a spiritual one (John 11:25; Rom 14:9; Rev 2:8; 13:14). (3) The resurrection of people who have been “beheaded” (Rev. 20:4) must be more than just a spiritual one. 4) The “beheaded souls” suffered the beheading because they had accepted the gospel, their resurrection is not when they received the gospel, it is after their beheading. There is no spiritual meaning for the word “beheading” (Greek: pepelekismenôn).

4. Will Eternity End Up Boring? What Will God’s People Be Doing With All That Time? The Bible indicates three significant roles which redeemed sinners will play throughout eternity. They will be kings, priests, and scholars. 1) Revelation indicates that redeemed sinners will join God in rulership over the universe (Rev. 3:21; 7:15-17). Sitting with Jesus on His throne means that they will be part of the government of the universe.
2) They serve not only as kings but as priests. In the ancient world there were two kinds of high status people. The highest status in the political realm was the king. And the highest status in the religious realm was the priest. Power corrupts, but those who have been humbled by suffering can be trusted with power. To be a priest in eternity includes taking an active lead in worship (Rev 5:9-13) and bearing a unique testimony based on earthly experience with sin and its consequences (Rev. 14:3). He who is faithful in little things will be put in charge of big things (Matt 25:21).
3) While school can sometimes be a chore, real learning is never a chore. God has ingrained curiosity into the core of our being, and there are few joys as meaningful as discovery. When we learn at our own pace, when we learn in our areas of interest, when our curiosity peaks our attention, learning is the most joyous possible experience. And there are so many things in the universe to learn. We will spend an eternity learning and growing, and it will be truly a delight.

5. The Backgrounds That Explain the New Jerusalem. The vision of the New Jerusalem is grounded in the rest of the Bible. The waters flowing from the throne (Rev. 22:1) and the tree of life (Rev. 22:2) recall the Garden of Eden. The radiance of the city and its cubical shape (Rev. 21:11,16) recall the tabernacle and the temple (Exod. 40:34-35; 1 Kings 6:20; 8:11). There are only two cubes in the Bible, the Most Holy Place in the sanctuary and the New Jerusalem. The very name “New Jerusalem” brings to mind the capital city of David’s kingdom. Many parts of the design of the city also recall Ezekiel’s visionary temple (Ezek. 40-48). And many details of the New Jerusalem recall the promises to the overcomers in the seven churches portion of Revelation (for example, the tree of life– Rev. 2:7; 22:2). So the vision of the New Jerusalem doesn’t arise from nothing, it is a blending of many allusions to the history of God’s leading throughout the Bible.

6. The Shape of the New Jerusalem, Pyramid or Cube? The length, width and height of the New Jerusalem are all the same, suggesting a perfect cube (Rev. 21:16). But there is another shape whose length, width and height are the same, and that is the pyramid. Should we envision the New Jerusalem as a cube or as a pyramid? Most people envision it as a cube and this is probably correct. The description of the New Jerusalem makes abundant use of the number twelve: twelve gates, twelve foundations, walls 144 cubits high, dimensions measuring 12,000 stadia (Rev. 21;12-21). A cube has twelve edges, but a pyramid has only eight. While the text does not specify the shape, a cube would be consistent with the symbolism and recall the Most Holy Place.

Part III: Life Application

1. Why is the millennium necessary when the Second Coming seems to have brought all things to an end? 1) Recovery time for the righteous. While there will be no conversions in heaven, there will be an ongoing need for personal and relational growth. Rev. 22:2 speaks of the leaves of the tree of life being for the healing of the nations. There may be people there you didn’t like or didn’t expect to see in heaven. Others you expected to see are missing. The thousand years will provide a safe space to learn and grow and transition into eternity. 2) Examination time for the righteous. The redeemed will be free to explore the “books of heaven” getting answers to questions about God, about those we loved who are not there, about issues in the Great Controversy. There will be many questions to answer. 3) Demonstration time for Satan and his followers. At the close of the millennium, Satan and his followers will demonstrate one final time the destructive nature of their characters. This final demonstration will secure the redeemed in loyalty to God throughout eternity.

2. What ultimately is the purpose of the Book of Revelation? The purpose of prophecy is not to satisfy our curiosity about the future, it is to teach us how to live today. Revelation was designed to prepare people for the challenges of the end and in the process has brought hope, meaning and purpose to millions throughout the Christian era (Rev. 1:3).

Ranko Stefanovic on the Editorial Changes to His Lesson Manuscript on Rev 17-18

Ranko Stefanovic just checked in from Sao Paulo Brazil. He has been traveling and unable to send before, please accept his apologies. Better late than never. From here on is his brief analysis of the editorial changes followed by the original lesson as it came from his own hand:

Except here and there some minor editorial changes, the Sabbath School Quarterly week 12 has retained the intention of the pre-edited version.

In the Monday lesson, the last paragraph was removed: “Both groups are equally deceived and have put themselves into the service of Babylon: the world leaders serve Babylon for personal benefit while the general populace serves Babylon as a result of seduction. Revelation tells us that, at the time of the end, the world will once again be dominated by a religious system similar to the one of the Middle Ages. Yet, the time will come when the people will realize the impotence of Babylon and will turn against it, however, too late (see Rev. 17:12-16). This concept is depicted as the drying up of the Euphrates River, when the disillusioned supporters of Babylon withdraw their support from this apostate religious system.”

Lesson 12 * March 16-22

Judgment on Babylon

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. chaps. 17-18; 2:20-23; 13:5-8.
Memory Text: “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:4-5, NKJV).
We saw that the sixth plague causes the symbolic drying up of the Euphrates, as the disillusioned people of the world withdraw their popular support from end-time Babylon. However, its fall will be followed by extensive demonic activities counterfeiting the work of God, doing miraculous signs, the most evident of which is bringing fire down from heaven (Rev. 13:13). The demonic activity is successful in uniting the whole world in preparation for the Battle of Armageddon against God’s faithful remnant.
At the outset of the final battle, a great earthquake occurs as part of the seventh plague. The earthquake shatters the unity of Babylon and splits it into three parts (Rev. 16:18-19). End-time Babylon is portrayed as a city, signifying the short-term union of the satanic trinity—the dragon, the sea beast, and the earth beast—in its alliance with the religious powers of the world in opposition to God’s people. This unity is shattered, causing the breakup of end-time Babylon.
We must keep in mind that Revelation 16:19 only pronounces the collapse of end-time Babylon. Chapters 17-18 tell us how this collapse will actually happen. Before describing the demise of end-time Babylon and the reasons for its fall (Rev. 17:12-18:24), Revelation 17 describes this end-time apostate religious system, this time in terms of a prostitute riding the beast who, in association with her daughters, seduces the world against God (vs. 1-11).
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 22.

Sunday March 17
The Prostitute Babylon
Read Revelation 17:1. Jeremiah 51:13 shows that the “many waters” upon which Babylon sits is the river Euphrates. According to Revelation 17:15, what do many waters symbolize?
A woman in the Bible is a symbol for God’s people. In Revelation, God’s faithful people are portrayed as a chaste woman (Rev. 12:1; 22:17). A harlot thus represents apostate and unfaithful people. In Revelation 17:5, this prostitute is identified as Babylon the Great. Just as ancient Babylon depended on the Euphrates River for its existence, so will end-time Babylon rely on the support of the governing world powers to enforce its plans.
Read Revelation 17:2 along with 14:8 and 18:2-3. What two groups of people are specified as involved in an illicit relationship with and being seduced by end-time Babylon?
The first group is the kings of the earth—these are the governing political powers. They are portrayed as being engaged in an adulterous relationship with the prostitute Babylon. In the Old Testament, the language of fornication is used frequently to describe how apostate Israel turned away from God to idolatry (Isa. 1:21; Jer. 3:1-10). The adulterous relationship between the kings of the earth and the harlot symbolizes an illicit union between end-time Babylon and the governing political powers in the final crisis.
The second group in an illicit relationship with the prostitute Babylon is the inhabitants of the earth. These are made spiritually drunk with the wine of Babylon’s fornication. In contrast to the governing political powers, the general populace is intoxicated by Babylon’s deceptive teachings and activities. When people are drunk, they do not think soberly, and are easily controlled (see Isa. 28:7). Only when they are sober will they come to realize their bad decisions and actions.
Both groups are equally deceived and have put themselves into the service of Babylon: the world leaders serve Babylon for personal benefit while the general populace serves Babylon as a result of seduction. Revelation tells us that, at the time of the end, the world will once again be dominated by a religious system similar to the one of the Middle Ages. Yet, the time will come when the people will realize the impotence of Babylon and will turn against it, however, too late (see Rev. 17:12-16). This concept is depicted as the drying up of the Euphrates River, when the disillusioned supporters of Babylon withdraw their support from this apostate religious system.
How does someone drink of the wine of Babylon? Must a person be in Babylon to drink of Babylon’s wine?

Monday March 18
The Prostitute Riding on the Beast
Read Revelation 17:3. While John was told that the prostitute sited on many waters, he sees her actually riding the beast. In what ways do the symbols water and beast suitably describe the supporters of Babylon?
As John is carried in vision into the wilderness, he sees a woman on a scarlet beast, not on waters. While the prostitute represents a religious entity, the beast symbolizes a political power. The picture of religion riding the secular and political powers points to two separate entities, something that was not the case in the past, when religion and politics were integrated. The prophecy shows, however, that these two will join together at the end-time. The concept of riding a beast denotes dominance; this shows that this end-time religious system will dominate the secular and political powers.
Which characteristics of the prostitute point to the sea beast of Revelation 13? Make a list of their common features.
The prostitute is pictured as extravagantly arrayed in purple and scarlet and adorned with ornaments of gold and precious stones and pearls; this was a practice of prostitutes in antiquity to enhance their power of seduction (Jer. 4:30). As the color of blood, scarlet corresponds to the oppressive character of this religious system.
The harlot’s dress also reminds one of the attire of the High Priest in the Old Testament, which included the colors purple, scarlet, and gold (Exod. 28:5-6). The inscription on her forehead also resembles the priestly inscription, “Holiness to the Lord” on the miter of the high priest (Exod. 28:36-38). The cup in her hand replicates the drink offering in the sanctuary (Exod. 30:9). With its historic religious appearance, this end-time religious system becomes Satan’s powerful tool in seducing the world away from God. However, regardless of its appearance, this religious system is a harlot and the mother of harlots. Babylon’s daughters are the world religious powers that will unite with the satanic trinity, forming an end-time religious confederacy.
The harlot Babylon is further described as drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus who died due to their witness to Christ. This links end-time Babylon to the medieval apostate Christianity of western Europe, which was led by the papacy and responsible for the deaths of millions of Christians who remained faithful to the gospel.
The description of the prostitute Babylon reflects the image of Jezebel in the church of Thyatira (see Rev. 2:20-23). How do the parallels between these two women elucidate the character of end-time Babylon?

Tuesday March 19
The Identification of the Beast
Read Revelation 17:6b-7. Why is John so astonished when he sees the prostitute? The angel promised to explain to him the mystery of the prostitute. Yet, he instead places all the focus on the scarlet beast. Why?
The likely reason for John’s astonishment at seeing the prostitute was that he recognized in her the woman that had fled into the wilderness in order to escape the persecution of the dragon during the prophetic 1260-day period of the Middle Ages (Rev. 12:13-14). This suggests that this end-time apostate religious system was once faithful to Christ. The church that in the past was faithful to God will, at the end time, turn into the opponent of God’s people and lead people away from God.
In response to John’s amazement, the angel explains to him the mystery of the woman and the beast that carries her.
Read Revelation 17:8. Compare the wording of this verse with 13:8. How does Revelation 13:3 clarify the three phases of the existence and activities of the beast?
The scarlet beast is identified as the one that was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. This tripartite phrase is, first of all, a parody of the divine name Yahweh —“who is and who was, and who is to come” (Rev. 1:4; 4:8). It also further points to the three phases of existence through which the beast has passed:
(1) The beast “was,” as it existed in the past. This refers to the activities of the beast during the period of the prophetic 1260-days (see Rev. 13:5).
(2) “Is not.” With its deadly wound (see Rev. 13:3), the beast came into its non-existence phase; it vanished for some time from the world scene, yet it survived.
(3) Finally, with the healing of the deadly wound, the beast will come back to life again in full satanic rage against God’s faithful people.
Revelation 17 describes the beast of Revelation 13:1-8 at the time of the healing of its deadly wound. It is upon this resurrected beast that prostitute Babylon sits. Revelation thus tells us that once again there will be a short-lived union of religion and politics, as it existed during the Middle Ages. The revival of the medieval religious system will arouse the admiration of the inhabitants of the earth, all those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. This reiterates verbatim Revelation 13:8, which clearly links the scarlet beast that carries the prostitute Babylon with the medieval apostate religious system.

Wednesday March 20
The Seven Heads of the Beast
Throughout history, the beast existed and functioned by its heads—one head at a time. The angel proceeds to explain the meaning of the beast’s heads.
Read Revelation 17:9-11 along with 13:18. The requirement for understanding the seven heads is a mind of wisdom. What kind of wisdom is in view here? How does one obtain this divinely imparted wisdom (see James 1:5)?
The angel explains that the seven heads are seven mountains. Some translators think that these are the seven hills upon which the city of Rome is situated, and this is why they translate the Greek word oroi [“mountains”) as “hills.” However, the angel makes clear that Rome was not meant because he immediately explains that these mountains symbolize seven kings. Also, these mountains are successive, not synchronic.
These mountains are not individual kings because Revelation does not deal with individual persons but systems. In the Bible, mountains often symbolize world powers or empires (Jer. 51:25; Ezek. 35:2-3). In biblical prophecy, “kings,” mean kingdoms (see Dan. 2:37-39; 7:17). Thus, the seven mountains represent seven great successive empires that dominated the world throughout history, through which Satan opposed God and harmed God’s people.
As the angel now identifies these seven kingdoms, he does it from John’s time perspective, rather than from the perspective of the future.
Five of these empires have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. The five that have fallen are the great kingdoms that in the Old Testament times dominated and harmed God’s people: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. The “one is” kingdom was the Roman Empire of John’s time. The seventh kingdom that “has not yet come” is the beast of Revelation 13—the medieval church led by the papacy that dominated and harmed God’s people—that was to come after the time of John and after the fall of the Roman Empire.
John is further told that the scarlet beast is in the phase of the eighth head, although it is one of the seven. Which of the seven? Most likely the seventh head that received the deadly wound. It is at the time of this eighth head that the scarlet beast carries the prostitute Babylon. Today, we live at the time of the healing of the deadly wound. The eighth head will appear on the scene right before the end, and will go to perdition.
John was told that the seventh power “must continue a short time.” How does Revelation 12:12 explain that this “short time” does not refer to a length of time?

Thursday March 21
The Fall of Babylon
Read Revelation 17:12-15 along with 16:12-16. What do you learn from the text about the “ten kings”?
Different interpretations have been offered regarding the identity of the ten kings. However, Revelation does not tell us who they are; like any unfulfilled prophecy, only the future will reveal their full identity. All we can derive from the text is that they are a short-lived political confederacy appearing right before the end. Their number denotes the totality of the world powers that will render their allegiance to the beast. The beast will use them to enforce its plans and purposes, which will last only for a short time.
Now, Revelation 17:13-14 reiterates in a nutshell the Battle of Armageddon—introduced in Revelation 12:12-17. Induced by the satanic trinity, the worldwide political confederacy will make war with the Lamb. This shows that the final battle is not a military battle in the Middle East, but a battle between Satan and his confederacy and Christ and His faithful people. Babylon’s aim is to destroy God’s people. The battle will conclude with the triumph of Christ and the destruction of the worldwide confederacy that loyally supported Babylon (see Rev. 19:11-21).
Read Revelation 17:16-18. From what we saw in Revelation 16:2-12, what lies behind the ten kings’ change of attitude towards Babylon? Who is behind what happens to Babylon?
This whole scenario is another description of the drying up of the Euphrates River (Rev. 16:12). The ten horns, filled with hatred, suddenly turn against the harlot Babylon, making her desolate and naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. In describing this scene, John employs Old Testament language that depicts His judgments against adulterous Jerusalem (Jer. 4:30). Burning by fire was the punishment for a daughter of the high priest who was involved in prostitution (Lev. 21:9), which is a further indication that the prostitute Babylon denotes a religious system that was once true to God. As Revelation 16:10-12 indicates, the deceived political powers have become disillusioned because of the impotence of Babylon to protect them from the plagues. They feel deceived and in hostility attack her, bringing her to ruin. This end-time apostate religious system experiences the fullness of divine judgment together with all those who chose to identify themselves with it.
Read Revelation 18:1-3 and 7-19. Revelation states that Babylon is judged and charged on three grounds: religious, political, and economic. How do those who cooperated with Babylon and caused its destruction lament, realizing that Babylon’s destruction means their own loss of power and wealth?

Friday March 22
Further Thought: Right before the demise of Babylon, a voice from heaven urges God’s people still in Babylon to, “Come out of her, My people” (Rev. 18:4). There are many worshippers of God who are in Babylon for various reasons. To them, God sends His final appeal to disentangle themselves from this apostate religious system and not participate in its sins. They must come out of it in order to escape its fate. God does not want anyone in Babylon to perish. Revelation 19:1-10 shows that many God-fearing people in Babylon will respond to the call.
Discussion Questions:
As Revelation 18:4 shows, there are many God-fearing people in Babylon who God calls, “My people.” Reflect on the following statement: “This message must be given, but while it must be given, we should be careful not to thrust and crowd and condemn those who have not the light that we have. We should not go out of our way to make hard thrusts at the Catholics. Among the Catholics there are many who are most conscientious Christians, and who walk in all the light that shines upon them, and God will work in their behalf. Those who have had great privileges and opportunities, and who have failed to improve their physical, mental, and moral powers, . . . are in greater danger and in greater condemnation before God than those who are in error upon doctrinal points, yet who seek to live to do good to others”—Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 575.
At the time of Daniel, Babylon was an evil power opposing God (see Isa. 14:12-14) and the enemy of God’s people. However, there were many sincere people in Babylon, who God wanted through Daniel to win for Himself. Do you see God-fearing people in Babylon today? While Babylon is an evil apostate religious system, God still loves the Babylonians and wants to save them. The question that deserves serious consideration is: where are God’s Daniels of today?
Some spend much time in making detailed timetables and prophetic charts regarding the final events. Should our time be better used in analyzing geographical maps for the purpose of reaching others for Christ?
Revelation 17 describes a prostitute sitting on a scarlet beast. While the woman in chapter 12 symbolizes God’s faithful church, the one in 17 refers to an apostate church seducing the world away from God. In your view, are these two women related?

Revelation Teacher’s Quarterly, Week 12, March 16-23 Analysis of Changes Made in the Editorial Process for the Teacher’s Edition

Basic theme: Revelation 17-18

The changes to the Teacher’s Edition of the Adult Sabbath School Study Guide (known popularly as the Sabbath School Quarterly) for January to March 2019 were probably the most substantial of the whole quarter, so this blog will be longer than most.

In the Introduction to the Overview (and elsewhere in this week’s lesson) the word “prostitute” was changed to “harlot” in reference to Rev 17:18. This at first made no sense to me as the word “harlot” is no longer in common use, at least with the younger generation. But in light of my discovery that the editor(s) are working with the New King James Version, it made sense. There is a strong lobby in the SDA Church to retain the King James Version or its updated equivalent, the NKJV, as the Bible of choice for the English-speaking church. Such a move is not helpful for the younger generation and it is not supported by solid scholarship. There is nothing wrong with either version but to compel others to limit themselves to dated language and an inferior source text is not appropriate. I am not suggesting that the editors are compelling anyone, but their preference is no doubt grounded in the backlash that would come if they showed a preference for other versions of the Bible.

In Lesson Theme I a substantial editorial change improved the outcome.

In Main Theme I of the Commentary section the concept of a worldwide alliance of secular, political power was retained, but the Euphrates River (Rev 16:12) and “many waters” (Rev 17:1) were removed as examples. I can live with that.

There was a major revision in Main Theme III. I had written “The seventh ‘king’ would be the medieval papacy and the ‘eighth’ (Rev. 17:11) king, who is one of the seven, would be the revived Babylon of chapter 17, an entity that in its fullness is still in our future.” The editors removed that sentence and added the following: “The seventh kingdom is the medieval Roman papacy, and the “eighth” kingdom (Rev. 17:11), which is one of the seven, would be the revived Roman papacy—the Babylon of Revelation 17, which includes the other two members of the satanic triad (the “dragon” of paganism/spiritualism and the “false prophet” of apostate Protestantism). This globalized form of Babylon riding on the scarlet beast of secular political power is still in the future.” The latter is based more on what Ellen White says in The Great Controversy than on direct exegesis of the text. From a scholarly perspective, that would be appropriate to a lesson on SDA Eschatology or Ellen White’s use of Revelation. In a lesson on the Book of Revelation, the text itself should be the primary source, in my view. But I’m not the one tasked to make that editorial decision.

Even larger changes occurred in Main Themes IV. I will share them in full, so the lesson teacher can be aware of the changes and their significance. I wrote about an alliance of “religious institutions in opposition to God, an alliance of secular political power, and an alliance of the saints. All three are precipitated by the final worldwide proclamation of the gospel (Rev. 14:6-7) and its evil counterpart (16:13-14). Through the counterfeit gospel of demonic angels (16:13-14), Babylon (demonic trinity—16:19). . .” This was removed and the following was added in its place: “the saints composed of an enlarged remnant church that includes those who have come out of Babylon to join them, an alliance of religious institutions, and an alliance of secular political powers. The last two alliances are precipitated by the final, worldwide proclamation of the gospel by the remnant (Rev. 14:6, 7; Rev. 18:1–4). Through the counterfeit gospel “inspired” by the demonic angels (Rev. 16:13, 14), Babylon (the satanic triad [Rev. 16:19]). . .” Again, this is a shift from exegetical language to language more familiar to traditional Adventists, which has a place in a diverse church. I am glad that at least my direct textual references were retained.

Later on in the same paragraph my statement “But when God intervenes (Rev 17:17), drying up Babylon’s support system (secular/political powers (Rev. 16:12), it turns. . .” was replaced with “But the drying up of the Euphrates (Rev. 16:12) symbolically portrays the time when the secular/political powers that supported the harlot Babylon turn. . .” This changes the wording but not the basic meaning of what I wrote. I will have a concluding comment on the challenges of editing in a theologically charged environment in the next and last blog in this series.

Editing the Sabbath School lessons and their Teacher’s Editions is a challenging task. One cannot simply utilize editorial skills and Bible knowledge, there is a whole world of expectations to satisfy both from central leadership and from the wider field of pastors and lay people. Today anyone can have a “bully pulpit” and attract a small or large segment of followers from around the church. Such groups exert pressure and sometimes affect editorial decisions. Although the results are sometimes (some would say often) disappointing from a scholarly perspective, I respect the process. As regards my own Teacher’s Edition, the outcome is probably the best that could have been expected.

Again, for those who don’t have access to the standard printed edition of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide or the Teacher’s Edition for this quarter, you can access them online week by week at https://www.absg.adventist.org/. My original pre-edited Teacher’s Edition manuscript for this week is provided in the previous blog. You can also download audio of me teaching the lesson ahead of time each week at http://pineknoll.org/sabbath-school-lessons.

Original Teachers’ Notes for Rev 17-18 (Week 12)

I share here in blog form my original manuscript of this week’s (March 17-23) Sabbath School Adult Teacher’s Edition for people to compare with the edited version. The changes were not massive or disruptive in most cases. I share my analysis of the changes in the next blog. These comments are not a comprehensive overview of these chapters, they are elaborations of the standard quarterly edition written primarily by my friend Ranko Stefanovic.

LESSON 12
JUDGMENT ON BABYLON

Part I: Overview

Key Text: Rev. 17:14.

Study Focus: Revelation seventeen and eighteen focus on the fall of end-time Babylon in the closing days of earth’s history.

Introduction: Rev. 17 describes the rise and fall of end-time Babylon as symbolized by a woman, the great prostitute (Rev. 17:18). Rev. 18 also describes the fall of Babylon, but this time in the image of the great city (Rev. 18:10, 16, 18, 19).

Lesson Themes: The lesson and the focus passage introduce the following themes:

1. Three Worldwide End-Time Alliances. The multiple symbols of Revelation’s end-time coalesce into three great worldwide alliances: 1) religion, 2) secular/political power and 3) the “saints.”
2. The Difference Between Visions and Their Explanations. In a vision the prophet can be taken any time and any place, but explanations of the vision to the prophet, in order to make sense, must come in the time and place of the prophet.
3. The Identity of the Seven Kings of Rev. 17:10. In order to understand the identity of the seven kings of Rev. 17:10 one must determine the time of the sixth king.
4. The Narrative of Rev. 17. Summary of end-time events in light of Theme 1.

Life Application. The Life Application section explores how the presence of faithful people within “Babylon” to the very end should impact the way we treat Christians of other faiths. It also explores the similarities and differences between the women of Rev. 12 and 17, and readiness for the Second Coming.

Part II. Commentary

In Rev. 17 and 18 Babylon gains the support of the secular/political powers of the world for its war against the saints (Rev. 17:6), but eventually they turn on Babylon and destroy her (Rev. 17:16). Rev. 18 expresses their three-fold regret for having done so (Rev 18:9-19). While the fall of Babylon is mourned by the world, it brings rejoicing to the saints (Rev 18:20).

Main Themes of Lesson 12 Elaborated:
1. Three Worldwide End-Time Alliances. Rev. 16-18 contains a bewildering variety of images describing end-time powers and groupings. But upon careful analysis it becomes evident that many of these images are different ways of describing the same thing. For example, the seven heads of the beast are also described as seven mountains and seven kings (Rev. 17:9-10). Likewise, the great prostitute (Rev. 17:1) is clearly the same as the woman who rides the beast (17:3) and Babylon the Great (17:5). We have noticed earlier, in Lesson 11 (Theme 1), that God’s people are also named by many names in the book of Revelation.
The variety of images in these chapters can all be linked to three great, worldwide alliances that develop in the final period of earth’s history. 1) There is a great worldwide alliance of religious institutions that join together in opposition to God and His faithful people. This alliance is named by many names: Babylon, the great prostitute, the great city, and the woman that rides the beast.
2) There is a great worldwide alliance of secular, political and military power. This alliance is also named by many names in Revelation: the Euphrates River (Rev. 16:12), the kings of the whole inhabited world (16:14), the cities of the nations (16:19), the many waters (17:1), the kings of the earth, the earth dwellers (17:2), the beast (17:3), the seven heads, the seven mountains, the seven kings (17:9-10) and the ten horns (17:12-13). These secular powers are also represented by the kings (18:9), merchants (18:11) and sea-farers (18:17) of chapter eighteen.
3) There is also a worldwide, end-time alliance of the saints, which is named by many names: the sealed (Rev. 7:1-3), the 144,000 (7:4-8), the great multitude (7:9-12), the remnant (12:17), the saints (14:12; 17:6), the kings of the east (16:12), those who keep their garments (16:15) and the called, chosen and faithful followers of the Lamb (17:14). In Theme 4 we will briefly explore the narrative of these three alliances in the final days of earth’s history.

2. The Difference Between Visions and Their Explanations. In apocalyptic prophecy, there is an important distinction between visions and explanations. In a vision, the prophet can travel anywhere in the universe and to any point of time. The events of the vision are not necessarily located in the prophet’s time and place. But when the vision is explained to the prophet afterward, the explanation always comes in the time, place and circumstances of the visionary.
For example, in Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar is taken down to the end of time in his vision of the great image and the stone that became a great mountain that filled the whole earth (Dan. 2:31-36). The explanation of the vision by Daniel, however, is firmly grounded in the time and place of Nebuchadnezzar. It begins with a straightforward, unambiguous assertion, “You are that head of gold (Dan 2:38).” Nebuchadnezzar is then told that the series of kingdoms that follow are “after you” (2:39) in point of time.
As was the case with Daniel 2, the apocalyptic prophecy of Dan 7 is also divided into two parts; the vision (Dan 7:2-14 and 21-22), and explanations of the vision (Dan 7:15-20, 23-27). Even though Daniel experienced all elements of the vision, including the final events, the explanation clarifies that the vision is essentially about the future experience of Daniel’s people (Dan 7:17-18, 23-27). The same pattern can be seen in Daniel 8 and Zech 4:1-14.
Prophets don’t usually seem to understand a revelation from visions alone. An explanation is necessary for the revelation to be understood. Since that explanation is given for the benefit of the prophet, it is based on the time, place and circumstances in which the seer lives. This principle has profound implications for the interpretation of difficult apocalyptic texts like Rev 17:7-11, as we will see in Theme 3.

3. The Identity of the Seven Kings of Rev. 17:10. Theme 2 helps us solve one of the most vexing problems in the whole book of Revelation. Who are the seven kings of Rev. 17:10? They are clearly sequential, but where do they begin and when is the “one is” of the angel’s description? Is it a power in John’s day, one at the very end of time, or is it located somewhere else in the course of history? Various Seventh-day Adventist scholars have drawn each of these three conclusions.
One popular option is to see the seven kings as seven consecutive popes. The sequence usually begins with the year 1929, when Mussolini restored Vatican City to the sovereignty of the church, and ends with the very last pope of earth’s history. This view has frequently suggested that a current pope is either the last or the next to last. So this view has led people into date-setting.
A second view is quite popular among SDA scholars. It suggests that the time of the sixth king (the “one is” of 17:10) is the time from 1798 to 1929, when the papacy had no temporal power. The five fallen kings would then be Babylon Persia, Greece, Rome, and the medieval papacy. The “one that is” would be the time when the church has no temporal power. The seventh king would be today, the restored Vatican power.
But Theme 2 above would rule out both options if applied here. The passage about the seven kings is not in the vision (Rev. 17:3-6), it is in the explanation of the vision (17:7-18). So the “one is” king would have to be present at the time when John himself received the vision in order to make sense. If the “one is” kingdom is the pagan Rome of John’s day, the five who are “fallen” would be the super powers of the Old Testament world; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece. The seventh “king” would be the medieval papacy and the “eighth” (Rev. 17:11) king, who is one of the seven, would be the revived Babylon of chapter 17, an entity that in its fullness is still in our future.

4. The Narrative of Rev. 17. As we saw in Theme 1, there are three worldwide alliances that develop in the end-time; an alliance of religious institutions in opposition to God, an alliance of secular political power, and an alliance of the saints. All three are precipitated by the final worldwide proclamation of the gospel (Rev. 14:6-7) and its evil counterpart (16:13-14). Through the counterfeit gospel of demonic angels (16:13-14), Babylon (demonic trinity—16:19) gathers the secular/political powers of the world to its cause (16:14, 16). She “rides” the beast (17:2-7). For a short time, united institutions of religion dominate the world’s governments, turning their fury against the saints (17:6; 13:15-17). But when God intervenes (17:17), drying up Babylon’s support system (secular/political powers—16:12), it turns on her and destroys her (17:16). By this means God saves His end-time remnant from destruction (17:14). After the fall of Babylon, the secular powers of the world meet their end at the Second coming (19:17-21).

Part III: Life Application

In a passage completely focused on the events of the end-time, life applications can be difficult to find. The following suggestions may be helpful.

1. What are the implications for today in the fact that God has His people in the midst of Babylon almost to the very end (Rev. 18:4)? The realization that end-time Babylon has a Christian face should not lead us to harsh and disparaging statements aimed at Catholics or others (see statement from Ellen White, Evangelism, 575, in Friday’s lesson). While the religious leaders and the Zealots both opposed the mission of Jesus, He nevertheless dealt graciously with individual representatives of those groups (Luke 6:15; Mark 12:28-24).

2. What can we learn from the connections between the women of Rev. 12 and 17? There are startling similarities between the women of Rev. 12 and 17. Both women are located in the wilderness (Rev. 12:6,14; 17:3). Both are religious in nature (prostitute Babylon is dressed like the High Priest in 17:4). But the woman of 12 is the church as seen in the middle period of Christian history, the 1260 day/years (see Teacher’s Edition for Lesson 8). What causes John amazement (Rev. 17:6) is that the end-time opponent of God and His people wears a Christian face! This should sober all who follow Jesus. Our pride and stubbornness can lead us to destruction even when we think we are following God (John 16:2).