Redeemed of the Earth
In Revelation, included in the people of God are men and women purchased from every nation by the blood of Jesus.
What sets this company apart is
its composition of men and women from all nations that have been redeemed by
the death of Jesus. And by his blood, they have become the “kingdom of
priests” sent by the “slain Lamb” to mediate the light of his gospel
to the “inhabitants of the earth.”
The purpose of the church is presented in the
book’s opening paragraph. Jesus is the “faithful witness, the firstborn of
the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.” His past death is the basis
of his present reign. And by his death, he has freed his people from their sins
and made them a “kingdom of priests.” Thus, the mission assigned long ago
to Israel has now fallen to the church - (Exodus 19:4-6, Revelation 1:4-6, 5:10).
The recipients of Revelation are
identified as the “servants” of God, the “seven churches of Asia.”
They are “fellow participants” with John in the “tribulation and
kingdom and perseverance in Jesus.” John was on the isle of Patmos “because of the word of God and the testimony
of Jesus.” Already in the first century, he and his fellow
believers were experiencing “the tribulation” on account of their “testimony
for Jesus.”
At one point, John saw a glorious figure
seated on the “throne” at the center of Cosmos. He was holding the scroll
sealed with seven seals. After a search of all creation, only the sacrificial “Lamb”
was found “worthy” to open it because “he was slain and redeemed
for God by his blood men out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation,
and made them a kingdom and priests to our God” - (Revelation 5:9-10).
Thus, the same category applied to the “churches
of Asia” is applied to this great multitude from every nation, the “kingdom
of priests.” Though this vast company was larger than the seven
small congregations of Asia, it also included them.
In chapter 7, John “heard” the “number”
of God’s “servants” that were “sealed,” twelve thousand males
from each of the twelve tribes of Israel, or 144,000 men. However, when he looked,
what he “saw” a vast multitude that “no one could number out
of every nation, and all tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the
Throne and the Lamb.” What he “saw” interpreted what he first “heard.”
The “innumerable multitude” was identical to the 144,000 males from the
“twelve tribes of Israel.” And this is the same company of men and women
purchased from “every nation” by the “blood of the Lamb” - (Revelation 5:9-10, 7:1-17).
In this way, Revelation transforms the
image of the “tribes of Israel” assembled around the Tabernacle in
preparation for the march to the promised land into the “innumerable multitude”
of men and women from every nation. John saw this company “coming out of the
great tribulation” and standing “before the throne of God” in his “sanctuary,”
where the “Lamb” is leading them “to life’s fountains of waters,”
a picture of life in the “New Jerusalem” - (Revelation 7:13-17, 21:1-6).
In chapter 11, the “two witnesses” are
called the “two lampstands,” which means they represent churches
- Elsewhere in Revelation, “lampstands” symbolize churches. When
their prophetic ministry is finished, the “beast that ascended from the
Abyss waged war with them and overcame and slew them.” The clause borrows language from Daniel’s vision of the “little horn” that waged war on the “saints”
of Israel:
- (Daniel 7:20-21) – “Also concerning the ten horns, which were in his head, and the other which came up, and there fell from among them that were before it three; and this horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and his look was prouder than his fellows. I continued looking when this horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.”
- (Revelation 11:7) – “And as soon as they have completed their witnessing, the beast that is to come up out of the Abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and slay them.”
The “beast” could not kill the “two
witnesses” until authorized to do so. But their violent deaths did not mean
defeat for the “Lamb,” for their martyrdom produced the “Day of the
Lord” and the consummation of the Kingdom of God when the “seventh
trumpet” sounded - (Revelation
11:15-19).
In chapter 12, Satan is expelled from heaven,
no longer able to “accuse our brethren before God.” Enraged, he gathers
his forces to “wage war against the seed of the woman, those who have
the testimony of Jesus.” Again, language from the same passage
from Daniel is applied to Satan’s assault against the saints, those who
have the “testimony of Jesus.” But the “brethren” overcome
the “Dragon” by the “blood of the Lamb and the word of their
testimony” - (Revelation
12:9-17).
So, also, the “beast that ascends from the
sea” makes war on the “saints and overcame them,” once more, applying
the same language from Daniel. This refers to the same reality as the war
against the “two witnesses” by the “beast from the Abyss,” and the
“war” by the “Dragon” against the “seed of the woman” - (Revelation 13:1-10).
When
the “beast from the sea” makes war on the “saints,” believers who
are destined for captivity go “into captivity.” Likewise, those who are to
be slain by the sword are so slain. This is called the “perseverance and the
faith of the saints,” the same group identified in the next chapter as “those who keep the
faith of Jesus” - (Revelation 13:7-10, 14:12).
Next, the “beast from the earth” causes
all the “inhabitants of the earth” to render homage to the first “beast,”
and also to take its “mark.” In contrast, the sealed company of those who
were “redeemed from the earth” are seen standing with the “Lamb”
on “Mount Zion,” having been “purchased” from the earth.
Thus, in Revelation, humanity falls into two groups: those redeemed from every nation who follow the “Lamb wherever he goes,” and the “inhabitants of the earth” that take the “mark of the beast” and render homage to it. Their names are NOT “written in the Lamb’s book of life,” they have NOT been “redeemed by his blood” - (Revelation 13:15-18, 14:1-5).
At
the commencement of the “seven bowls of wrath,” the redeemed are described
with imagery from the Exodus story. Those
who “overcome” the “beast” are “standing on the glassy sea,
having harps of God, and they are singing the song of Moses the servant of God
and the song of the Lamb” - (Revelation 15:1-4).
“Overcome” translates the same
verb applied in the messages to the “seven churches” to faithful saints
who persevere and “overcome.” And it is the same verb found when the “brethren
overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb.” Once again, the same
company of the redeemed is seen, this time standing on the “glassy sea.”
The “saints” overcome the “beast” by
enduring faithfully whatever it may inflict on them, all while maintaining
their “testimony.” This is the “perseverance of the saints.” Like
the 144,000 “males” singing the “new song” on “Mount Zion,”
so, here, the faithful stand on the “sea of glass,” all while singing the
“song of the Lamb.” The two “songs” link both groups, for they
are one and the same.
“Babylon” is judged and
destroyed for her egregious sins, among them, her persecution of the saints.
John saw her “drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood
of the witnesses of Jesus.” The saints rejoiced over her
destruction because it meant their vindication - (Revelation 17:1-19:10).
With Babylon’s demise, the time arrived for the
“marriage of the Lamb, for his wife has made herself ready.” She was “arrayed
in fine linen,” which represents the “righteous acts of the saints.”
Likewise, in Asia, the Christians who heeded the Spirit and overcame were “arrayed
in white garments.” So, also, members of the “innumerable multitude”
that came out of the “great tribulation” were “arrayed in white
garments,” having made them white “in the blood of the Lamb” - (Revelation
3:5, 3:18, 7:9-17).
Thus, from start to finish, the focus of Revelation
is on the church, the people of God, the men and women redeemed by Jesus from
every nation. Though different terms and
images are applied to her, the same redeemed company is in view in each case.
The terms mostly derive from the story of Ancient Israel, but Revelation
reapplies them to the followers of the “Lamb” from every nation, tongue,
people, and tribe. But consistently, what sets them apart is the fact they were
“redeemed by the blood of the Lamb,” their standing before him and the “throne”
is based entirely on the death and resurrection of Jesus.
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