Revelation : Lesson 1
What is the 'Lord's Day' of Revelation 1:10?
The Bible leaves no record of the first-century church worshipping or celebrating the resurrection on Sunday. Sometimes Revelation 1:10 — "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice" — is used as biblical authority for calling Sunday "the Lord's Day." Notice, however, that this verse does not say the "first day of the week" or "Sunday" is what John calls "the Lord's day."
We must remember two vital facts about the book of Revelation: First, it is a book of prophecy primarily concerning the time of Christ's coming and the events that lead up to it (Revelation 1:1-3, 7). Second, it is written by a Jew steeped in the language of the Old Testament. To him, the phrase en teé kuriakeé heeméra ("on the Lord's day")—and its Hebrew or Aramaic equivalent—would imply what is called in the Old Testament "the Day of the Lord," the time of the coming destruction that climaxes in the return of Christ (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; Amos 5:18; etc.).
In the introduction to E.W. Bullinger's Commentary on Revelation, he explains definitively that the "Lord's day" in Revelation 1:10 is not talking about the first day of the week:
In Revelation 1:9 we are told that John saw and received this revelation on "the Lord's Day." Leaving the former part of this verse for the present, let us notice the latter expression, "the Lord's Day." 4
The majority of people, being accustomed from their infancy to hear the first day of the week called the Lord's Day, conclude in their own minds that that day is thus called in Revelation 1:9 because that was the name of it. But the contrary is the fact: the day is so called by us because of this verse.
In the New Testament this day is always called "the first day of the week." (See Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2 2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2.). Is it not strange that in this one place a different expression is thought to refer to the same day? And yet, so sure are the commentators that it means Sunday, that some go as far as to say it was "Easter Sunday," and it is for this reason that Revelation 1:10-19 is chosen in the New Lectionary of the Church of England as the 2nd Lesson for Easter Sunday morning.
There is no evidence of any kind that "the first day of the week" was ever called "the Lord's Day" before the Apocalypse was written. That it should be so called afterwards is easily understood, and there can be little doubt that the practice arose from the misinterpretation of these words in Revelation 1:9. It is incredible that the earliest use of a term can have a meaning which only subsequent usage makes intelligible.
On the contrary, it ceased to be called by its Scripture name ("the First day of the week"), not because of any advance of Biblical truth or reverence, but because of declension from it. The Greek "Fathers" of the Church were converts from Paganism: and it is not yet sufficiently recognized how much of Pagan rites and ceremonies and expressions they introduced into the Church; and how far Christian ritual was elaborated from and based upon Pagan ritual by the Church of Rome. Especially is this seen in the case of baptism.5
It was these Fathers who, on their conversion, brought the title "Sunday" into the Church from the Pagan terminology which they had been accustomed to use in connection with their Sun-worship.
Justin Martyr (114-165 A.D.) in his second Apology (i.e., his second defense of Christianity), says, 6 in chap. 67. on "The weekly worship of the Christians," - "On the day called SUN-DAY all who live in the country gather together to one place... SUN-DAY is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of SATURN [i.e., Saturn's day]; and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the SUN, having appeared to his apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration."
It is passing strange that if John called the first day of the week "the Lord's Day," we find no trace of the use of such a title until a hundred years later. And that though we do find a change, it is to "Sunday," and not the "the Lord's Day" - a name which has become practically universal.7
Some Christians still perpetuate the name of the Lord's Day for Sunday: but it is really the survival of a Pagan name, with a new meaning, derived from a misunderstanding of Revelation 1:9.
Objection has been taken to the interpretation of "the Lord's Day" here, because we have (in 1:9) the adjective "Lord's" instead of the noun (in regimen), "of the Lord," as in the Hebrew. But what else could it be called in Hebrew? Such objectors do not seem to be aware of the fact that there is no adjective for "Lord's" in Hebrew; and therefore the only way of expressing "the Lord's Day" is by using the two nouns, "the day of the Lord" - which means equally "the Lord's Day" (Jehovah's day). It is useless, therefore, to make any objection on this ground; for if a Hebrew wanted to say "the Lord's Day," he must say "the day of the Lord."
In the Greek there are two ways of expressing this (as in modern languages); either by saying literally, as in Hebrew, "the day of the Lord" (using the two nouns); or by using the adjective "Lord's" instead. It comes to exactly the same thing as to signification; the difference lies only in the emphasis.
The natural way of qualifying a noun is by using an adjective, as here – (kyriakee) Lord's; and, when this is done, the emphasis takes its natural course, and is placed on the noun thus qualified ("day"). But when the emphasis is required to be placed on the word "Lord;" then, instead of the adjective, the noun would be used in the genitive case, "of the Lord." In the former case (as in Revelation 1:9), it would be "the Lord's DAY." In the latter case it would be "THE LORD'S day." The same day is meant in each case, but with a different emphasis.
By way of illustration and proof, we may call attention to the fact that we have the corresponding expressions concerning another "day." In Luke 17:22 we have "the days of the Son of Man," where the emphasis must be on "THE SON OF MAN" (as shown by the context). While in I Corinthians 4:3 we have "man's DAY," with the emphasis on "day," marking that "day" as being actually present, as it now is. This is so clear from the context that it is actually translated "judgment," which is exactly what it means. The apostle says - "It is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's DAY." The emphasis is on day, because the time in which we now live is the time, or "day," when man is judging. Another day is coming, and that is the day when the Lord will be present, and He will be the judge. This is the reason why the adjective (anthropinee) man's is used in I Corinthians 4:3; and this is why (kyriakee), Lord's is used in Revelation 1:9. So far from the use of the adjective being an argument against our conclusion, it is an argument in favor of it. For what is the "DAY of the Lord" or "the LORD'S day"? The first occurrence of the expression (which is the key to its meaning) is in Isaiah 2:11.8 It is the day when "the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted.
That is the one great object of all the future events, seen by John in vision, and recorded for us in the Apocalypse.
One other fact has to be stated, and that is the reason why the first day of the week came to be called "Sunday." It was called by the Pagan "Dominus Sol," the Lord Sun. Hence the Latin name "Dies Dominica," used by the early Christian Fathers for the Sunday, and the speedy transition of its name from "the Lord Sun" to "the Lord's Day," and then "Sunday." Bingham (Ant. 10., sec. 5) mentions the fact that it was the custom in the Primitive Church to replace heathen days and festivals by those which were Christian. We see one result of this in our Yule-tide and Christmas. Bingham (Ant. 10., sec. 2) also mentions the fact that the early Christians were charged with being worshippers of the sun. Tertullian also admits that Christians were only looked upon by some as a sect of sun worshippers:9 while some account for this on other grounds: (e.g. the sects of the Gnostics and Basilideans having retained or introduced solar forms of worship). Yet these facts are better and more fully accounted for by the adoption of the name "the Lord's Day" for the Sunday; while it serves to throw light on the transition from the original name of "the first day of the week."
From all this evidence we feel justified in believing that the Apocalypse consists of a series of visions, which set forth the events connected with "the Revelation of Jesus Christ," which will take place during "the Lord's DAY;" that day being so called because it is viewed as being then present; and as it had been called heretofore in prophecy, "the day of the Lord."
If one wants to insist upon this text applying to a definite day of the week, he must look elsewhere to see which day the Bible calls the Lord's Day. Jesus says in Mark 2:28 that He is Lord of the Sabbath, and thus, as Master of that day, it belongs to Him. The only day that belongs to Him is the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Isaiah 58:13 calls the Sabbath "My [the Lord's!] holy day." The other six days are ours to do our work and pleasures.
Finally, in the original commandment in Exodus 20:10, the Lord says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." Therefore, if John saw this vision on any day of the week—if it indeed occurred on "the Lord's day"—it was the seventh-day Sabbath!
What Is the Origin of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6, 15)?
Nicolaitan means "a follower of Nicolas." It comes from two Greek words, nikos and laos. Nikos means "conqueror" or "destroyer," and laos means "people." The original Nicolas was a conqueror or destroyer of the people!
Some people believe that the original Nicolas was Nimrod—the original archrebel, who conquered the people and founded a man-made civilization within two centuries after the Flood (Genesis 10:8-12)! While he was alive, Nimrod put himself in the place of God, or as the biblical text puts it, "he was a mighty hunter before the LORD" (verse 9). When he died, his admirers continued to worship him as a divine hero. They called him "Baal," a name found throughout the Old Testament, meaning "master" or "lord."
Nimrod also had other names. One, commonly used throughout Asia Minor, was "Santa" (see Lempriere's Classical Dictionary.) "Santa Claus" is but a shortened form of "Santa Nicholas" or "Saint Nicholas." Many unknowingly honor this Nicholas even in our day by by observing customs associated with December 25. Christmas originally was the Saturnalia or birthday of Nimrod. Of course, these customs handed down from ancient paganism have been renamed and made to appear innocent and good!
Others think that the Nicolas mentioned in Revelation 2 is the man called "Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch," ordained a deacon early in the church's history in Acts 6:1-6. Writings of the time say he later came to follow Gnostic teachings and became an ascetic, and many followed his new doctrine. For further information on this Nicolas and his affect on the church, please see Nicolaitanism Today.
What Is the 'Synagogue of Satan' (Revelation 2:9; 3:9)?
The word synagogue comes from a Greek word meaning "assembly of men" or "congregation," and it was used much like the English word "church." The "synagogue of Satan," then, is an assembly or congregation—a church—made up of the individuals who "say they are Jews, and are not." The term "Jew" is used here in a spiritual sense.
Notice the apostle Paul's definition of a spiritual Jew in Romans 2:29: "He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." In this case, it is not one's physical race that counts, but his spiritual condition (Galatians 3:27-29; Romans 4:16). true Christians are spiritual Jews because Jesus says in John 4:22, "salvation is of the Jews."
Those in the "synagogue of Satan" say they are spiritual Jews—pretend to be real Christians—but are not. This false church was already developing in the days of the apostle John, masquerading as God's true church. It had congregations in the cities of Smyrna and Philadelphia in Asia Minor even at that early time. It and its daughter churches are further described in Revelation 17.
One of the hallmarks of Satan's activities is deception, particularly counterfeiting the things of God. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [servants] transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Jesus says we will know such false ministers by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20). Thus, we should make sure that the church we attend and its ministers are following biblical doctrines and producing the fruit of righteousness. Otherwise, it may well be a "synagogue of Satan."
Was Jesus Created by God (Revelation 3:14)?
The correct meaning of the phrase "the Beginning of the creation of God" is the Beginner or Author of God's creation. "Beginning" is a rendering of the Greek word archee, which refers to an originating instrument or active cause of origin (see Colossians 1:15-17). In his The New Testament in the Language of Today, William F. Beck translates this as "The Origin of God's creation." As the Creator or Originator of all things, Jesus is the Head and Governor of all creatures; He is the King of creation (see Psalm 148). For further discussion of this meaning, please see the commentary on this verse by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown and the one by Adam Clarke.
Proverbs 8:22-31 is sometimes cited as evidence that Jesus was created. However, this passage is clearly referring to wisdom personified (see verse 1), not to God! Notice that God possessed wisdom in the beginning and used it in creating the worlds.
The Bible tells us plainly that Jesus (who many believe was Melchizedek—Genesis 14:18-20) had no beginning of days nor end of life (Hebrews 7:1-3). He was not created, but was the Creator of all things that were made (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2; 2:10). He was with the Father in the beginning, and all things were made by Him (John 1:1-3). He has always existed.
Who Are the Twenty-four Elders (Revelation 4:4)?
Revelation 4 and 5 describe the throne room of God in heaven and its activities. Prominent among them are the twenty-four elders:
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I say twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. . . . [T]he twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:4, 10-11).
Some falsely teach that the twenty-four elders are taken from among saved mortals. This assumption is primarily based on a mistranslation of Revelation 5:8-10 in many versions, even the respected King James version. According to the Greek text, the last half of verse 9 and all of verse 10 should read: "For You were slain, and have redeemed them [the saints, not us] to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation; and have made them [not us] kings and priests to our God; and they [not we] shall reign on the earth."
Notice the translation of these verses in the English Standard Version: ". . . for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
From this correct text, we see that these "elders" are not changed mortals but powerful spirit beings who assist God at His throne in heaven. Verse 10 explicitly says that the resurrected saints will reign on earth! See Revelation 20:4 where this idea is repeated and expanded.
We know that the twenty-four elders are not redeemed human beings because no man except Jesus Christ (John 3:13) has ascended to heaven where God's throne is. All saved human beings—those who are Christ's true servants—will be given immortality at Christ's coming—when He returns to the earth to rule and reign (I Corinthians 15:22-23).
The twenty-four elders, then, are a part of the created heavenly host, that is, angels of high rank and honor. They are created spirit beings and have been given positions of responsibility in the government of God, through which He rules the universe. Revelation 5:8 says the elders each have a harp and golden bowls full of incense, symbolic of the prayers of the saints. From these symbols we can perhaps see a little of their function before God.
The harp is a musical instrument, and biblically, it was used a great deal in accompanying the Psalms and in the worship of God (see II Samuel 6:5; I Chronicles 15:16; 25:1, 3, 6; II Chronicles 5:11-14; Nehemiah 12:27; Psalm 33:2; 98:5; etc.). Similarly, the twenty-four elders are responsible for praising God in song, possibly in conducting vast choirs of angels (see Revelation 5:11-12).
The golden bowls full of incense representing the prayers of God's people hint at a second responsibility: that of carrying out God's answers to prayer. Perhaps, once God determines how a situation should be handled, He leaves its accomplishment in the hands of these trusted servants, who, Paul says, are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for [serve for the sake of (ESV)] those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). Though this function is speculative, it is not inconsistent with the function of angels elsewhere in the Bible (see Daniel 9:20-23; 10:10-21).
Who Are the 'Souls Under the Altar' Mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11?
Some have claimed that these verses prove the immortality of the soul and that people go to heaven when they die. The Bible itself, however, shows that souls are mortal by nature (Job 33:22; Ezekiel 13:19; 18:4, 20) and that this entire description is symbolic, not literal.
What did John see? In vision he beheld a book or scroll sealed with seven seals. As Jesus opened each seal (Revelation 5:5), John saw a preview of an event that would "take place after this" (Revelation 4:1). John was "in the Spirit" while the seven seals were being opened (verse 2). So, the events he saw were not actually happening then; he saw heavenly enactments of what was to take place in the future on earth.
When the fifth seal was opened, John "saw under [at the base of] the altar the souls of those who had been slain" (Revelation 6:9). Because Jesus revealed the meaning of the seven seals when He was on earth, we know that the fifth seal is symbolic of the coming Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-28). This means that Revelation 6 reveals an event to take place on the earth just before Christ's return.
In vision, John is projected forward to our time now, a time when one martyrdom has already happened (during the Middle Ages) and a greater one (the Tribulation) is yet to come. The "souls" (Christians) who "would be slain [martyred]" are told to "rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed" (Revelation 6:11). Those who have died as martyrs are to continue to "rest" - remain in their graves (compare Acts 2:26-27) - until others, like them, are also martyred. Remember, heaven contains no graves, so this must occur on the earth.
The "souls" - the dead saints - crying "avenge our blood" (Revelation 6:10) is similar to Abel's blood (his life, see Leviticus 17:14) crying to God from the ground (Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 11:4). Since neither blood nor the dead talk (Psalm 115:17; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10), we know that the meaning is not literal. The "souls under the altar," then, is a symbolic picture of the martyrdom of saints.
Who Are the 144,000 (Revelation 7 and 14)?
In Revelation 7, verse 1, we find that the Day of the Lord—a time of terrible plagues—is to be delayed temporarily, until the servants of God have been sealed (verse 3). According to the sequence of prophesied events, this sealing is yet in the future. It will occur after the coming Great Tribulation and the appearance of the heavenly signs, but just before the plagues of God's judgments are poured out.
Next, notice Jesus' own explanation of the 144,000: They are of the tribes of Israel, 12,000 of each tribe (verse 4), who are set apart from the rest of humanity (see Ezekiel 9:3-10 for a similar occurrence). In Galatians 6:16, the church is called "the Israel of God," so this separation into "tribes of the children of Israel" may be a spiritual designation rather than physical lineage.
The 144,000 are sealed by the Holy Spirit in their foreheads (minds). Revelation 14:1 shows that this sealing is done by writing the Father's name there. Jesus' very last prayer was that His church would be kept—preserved, guarded—in the Father's name (John 17:11). This suggests that the 144,000 are set apart, and thus protected (in an eternal sense), by God's work of building character in them, as God's name identifies and defines His character.
So, like those in Ezekiel's day who "sigh and cry over the abominations that are done," the 144,000 will be spared the terrors of the Day of the Lord because they have proven their sterling character before God. This is confirmed in Revelation 14:4, which describes them as "not defiled with women, for they are virgins," that is, morally upright and undefiled by false religion. Verse 5 adds, "And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God." Their sealing is obviously based on their spiritual condition rather than their physical descent.
They are also called "redeemed from among men, . . . firstfruits to God and the Lamb" (verse 4). This can only mean that they are those who take part in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6; I Corinthians 15:23). They are a special first "crop" of God's harvest, who are given special rewards and privileges because of their struggles in overcoming of Satan and their sins—Hebrews 11:35 calls it "a better resurrection."
The 144,000 are a unique group of people who overcome their sins and grow in character, and their reward is to live and rule forever by the side of Jesus Christ.
Why Is the Tribe of Dan Not Mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8?
It is interesting to note that Dan is also left out of the genealogies of I Chronicles 1-9. This historical point of interest helps explain why Dan was not mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8.
The tribe of Dan as a whole was guilty of gross idolatry—even to the point of stealing the idols they used to practice their religion (Judges 18:14-31). Theirs was the first organized idolatry in ancient Israel, and the longest in duration. It continued "until the day of the captivity of the land," nearly 500 years later (Judges 18:30). Jewish tradition says that Dan was the first tribe to follow Jeroboam into his sin of idolatry, and in their literature, the term "Dan" is often used to represent idolatry.
From this summarized history of the tribe of Dan, it becomes obvious why Dan would not be among the 144,000 "servants of our God," as they are called in Revelation 7:3. Dan thoroughly rejected God's true religion for thousands of years, substituting a continuous tradition of idolatry. The end-time descendants of Dan say, "I have waited for your salvation, O LORD" (Genesis 49:1, 18). The vast majority of Danites must wait for salvation until after the sealing of the 144,000.
It is reassuring to know that Dan and all the other tribes of ancient Israel will be saved. In fact, Dan is mentioned first in the apportioning of land in the soon-coming Millennium (Ezekiel 48:1). The apostle Paul assures us, "All Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). The 144,000 are only a very small portion of the people of all nations who will eventually be saved.
A related question involves the tribe of Ephraim. Some have thought that this tribe is not mentioned among the 144,000 either, but Ephraim is indeed included. Notice that both the tribe of Manasseh and the tribe of Joseph are listed. Ephraim and Manasseh were the two sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:1). Since Manasseh is one of the two tribes descended from Joseph, "the tribe of Joseph" mentioned in Revelation 7:8 must refer to Ephraim. From this, we can learn that Ephraim, being the leading tribe of the house of Joseph, sometimes bore the name "Joseph."
Who Are the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3)?
No one now knows who the Two Witnesses are. But when they do appear, we will know that the return of Christ is not far away.
The Two Witnesses are two human beings who will be given extraordinary power for 3 1/2 years just before Christ's return (Revelation 11:3). If anyone attempts to harm them before they complete their ministry, "fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies" (verse 5). Note the similarity between this and the power given to Elijah (II Kings 1:9-15). They will also have power to produce drought and famine, as did Elijah (Luke 4:25; I Kings 17:1-7), and to smite the earth with plagues, as Moses did in Egypt (Revelation 11:6). However, there is no biblical justification to believe that the Two Witnesses are indeed Moses and Elijah; God has never resurrected a prophet or apostle to do a work centuries or millennia later. God always uses people of the time to carry out His work.
The most notable work of the Two Witnesses will be to give one final warning to this world. This message of rebuke and repentance will bring them into conflict with the people and the governments in power, and they will be martyred. The whole world will rejoice and give each other gifts as they view their dead bodies, lying unburied in the streets of Jerusalem (verses 9-10). However, those same people will be struck with great fear when they see the Two Witnesses come to life again and ascend into the sky in a cloud (verses 11-12).
Verse 4 calls them "the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth," an obvious reference to Zechariah 4:14. Combining this Old Testament prophecy with the interpretation of the lampstands in Revelation 1:20, it appears that the Two Witnesses will also have a profound ministry to the church of God: They will supply the church with "oil," that is, they will spiritually feed the church during the "famine of the word" (Amos 8:11). Thus, the Two Witnesses will be affiliated with and teaching the members of God's church before and possibly during their greater worldwide ministry.
Is the 'Mark of the Beast' an Implanted Microchip (Revelation 13:16-18)?
With fair regularity, stories appear in the media about technology that will allow the Beast to number and track every person on earth. People believe that either a number or bar code will be imprinted on the foreheads or hands of those who will be permitted to buy or sell. Lately, the stories have been about implantable microchips that will store vital information about each of us. Such stories are widely circulated, but no proof exists that any of them are part of a worldwide conspiracy. These reports are based on a misunderstanding of Revelation 13.
The "Beast" mentioned in Bible prophecy is a governmental system, a revived Holy Roman Empire, headed by an evil human dictator (see Daniel 2:26-45; 7:1-8, 15-27; 11:36-45; Revelation 17:7-18). When Jesus comes, He will personally throw both that dictator and his "False Prophet" accomplice into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20).
Receiving the Beast's number, name or mark has to do with giving allegiance to the government this dictator will establish and to the false religion that will be an integral part of that system. The Bible uses the symbols of the forehead and the right hand to represent one's loyalty by thought and work—mental and physical allegiance. The Scriptures teach that God's law is to be uppermost in our lives (Deuteronomy 6:8; 8:3).
Satan the Devil will be the spiritual power behind the Beast (Revelation 13:2), and he invariably counterfeits God's way to deceive even true believers into forsaking the truth (II Corinthians 11:13-15; Matthew 24:24). The Beast's system will therefore be a counterfeit of God's, and its mark—or identifying sign—a counterfeit of God's sign, the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13-17; Ezekiel 20:12). It is more likely, then, that the mark of the Beast will be an enforced "day of worship"—and it will not be the seventh-day Sabbath!
Does Not Revelation 19:1 Say There Are 'Much People in Heaven'?
This is an unfortunate translation in the King James and other Bible versions of the Greek phrase óchlou polloú. This combination can mean "much [or many] people," but it also has a variety of other English synonyms. Since the Bible elsewhere plainly tells us that the reward of the saved is this earth (see Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:22; Romans 4:13; Revelation 5:10; etc.)—not heaven—it is evident that another rendering of this Greek phrase should have been chosen.
Many modern translations, for instance, the New King James, the New American Standard, English Standard, New International, and the Revised Standard versions render óchlou polloú as "great multitude." The Revised English Bible translates it as "vast throng," the Moffatt translation renders it as "great host," the Amplified New Testament uses "great crowd," and the J.B. Phillips version has it as "vast crowd."
These translations best convey the meaning of the original Greek. Thus, the "people" of Revelation 19:1 are not humans, as we normally construe the word to mean. John is actually describing the "host, crowd, throng, or multitude" of heaven. This verse is speaking thousands or tens of thousands of angels who sing praises to God before His throne in heaven (Revelation 5:11-12).
What Will Happen After Christ's 1,000-Year Rule?
The apostle John's visions, recorded in Revelation 20:7 through the end of the book, describe these events. Very little additional detail about this time is recorded in Scripture.
What will happen after God's plan of salvation has been completed and the earth purged by fire (II Peter 3:10-12; see "Does Peter Predict the Total Destruction of the Earth in II Peter 3:10?" for an explanation) is found in Revelation 21:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle [dwelling] of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God." (verses 1-3)
At that time, the earth will become the headquarters of God's Kingdom for the entire universe, and from that time forward it will never cease to expand (Luke 1:33; Isaiah 9:7). We can only guess what members of God's Family will do. Scripture provides us only a few clues.
God's purpose is concerned with all eternity. The sons admitted into His Kingdom will be active, dynamic, productive! They will not just sit around idly, but like the Father, they will plan and create. In a word, they will continue fulfilling God's master plan. Hebrews 2:6-8 says that God will ultimately put the whole universe—all things—under man's authority.
What is happening now is only the beginning. We cannot begin to fathom the immensity and glory of what the born-again sons of God will be doing for eternity. A great deal more is included than meets the eye in the hint given in Revelation 21:5: "Behold, I make all things new." Everything will be made glorious and wonderful beyond our most imaginative dreams (I Corinthians 2:9; Romans 8:18). God speed that day!
Will the Beast and False Prophet Suffer Eternal Torment (Revelation 20:10)?
Some misunderstand this verse because of a translation error in the King James and other versions of the Bible. In many Bibles, certain words are italicized if they have been added to the text by the translators to facilitate understanding. Notice that in Revelation 20:10 the word "are" in the phrase "where the beast and the False Prophet are" is in italics. This present-tense verb is not in the original Greek text of Revelation; its tense is to be understood from the context.
According to the chronology of Revelation itself, both the Beast and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire at the beginning of God's thousand-year reign on the earth (Revelation 19:20). By merely using God's explanation of what happens to human bodies when they are cast into fire, we find that they will be burned up (Psalm 37:20). Therefore, the phrase in Revelation 20:10 should be translated "where the beast and the false prophet were [or were cast]."
In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Jesus plainly shows that the everlasting fire was prepared for Satan and his angels. However, He goes on to say that human beings who are ultimately judged unfit for eternal life are also to be cast into this very Lake of Fire. "And these will go away into everlasting punishment" (verse 46). He means that their punishment is eternal, that is, irrevocable.
When these people are cast into the Lake of Fire, then, it is by God's definition "the second death," from which there is no resurrection. "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15). Notice also Revelation 21:8, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Thus, human beings like the Beast and False Prophet will totally burn up and die in the Lake of Fire, while Satan and his demons will suffer eternal torment as described in the last part of Revelation 20:10: "And they [Satan and his demons] will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
The Bible leaves no record of the first-century church worshipping or celebrating the resurrection on Sunday. Sometimes Revelation 1:10 — "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice" — is used as biblical authority for calling Sunday "the Lord's Day." Notice, however, that this verse does not say the "first day of the week" or "Sunday" is what John calls "the Lord's day."
We must remember two vital facts about the book of Revelation: First, it is a book of prophecy primarily concerning the time of Christ's coming and the events that lead up to it (Revelation 1:1-3, 7). Second, it is written by a Jew steeped in the language of the Old Testament. To him, the phrase en teé kuriakeé heeméra ("on the Lord's day")—and its Hebrew or Aramaic equivalent—would imply what is called in the Old Testament "the Day of the Lord," the time of the coming destruction that climaxes in the return of Christ (Isaiah 13:6, 9; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; Amos 5:18; etc.).
In the introduction to E.W. Bullinger's Commentary on Revelation, he explains definitively that the "Lord's day" in Revelation 1:10 is not talking about the first day of the week:
In Revelation 1:9 we are told that John saw and received this revelation on "the Lord's Day." Leaving the former part of this verse for the present, let us notice the latter expression, "the Lord's Day." 4
The majority of people, being accustomed from their infancy to hear the first day of the week called the Lord's Day, conclude in their own minds that that day is thus called in Revelation 1:9 because that was the name of it. But the contrary is the fact: the day is so called by us because of this verse.
In the New Testament this day is always called "the first day of the week." (See Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2 2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2.). Is it not strange that in this one place a different expression is thought to refer to the same day? And yet, so sure are the commentators that it means Sunday, that some go as far as to say it was "Easter Sunday," and it is for this reason that Revelation 1:10-19 is chosen in the New Lectionary of the Church of England as the 2nd Lesson for Easter Sunday morning.
There is no evidence of any kind that "the first day of the week" was ever called "the Lord's Day" before the Apocalypse was written. That it should be so called afterwards is easily understood, and there can be little doubt that the practice arose from the misinterpretation of these words in Revelation 1:9. It is incredible that the earliest use of a term can have a meaning which only subsequent usage makes intelligible.
On the contrary, it ceased to be called by its Scripture name ("the First day of the week"), not because of any advance of Biblical truth or reverence, but because of declension from it. The Greek "Fathers" of the Church were converts from Paganism: and it is not yet sufficiently recognized how much of Pagan rites and ceremonies and expressions they introduced into the Church; and how far Christian ritual was elaborated from and based upon Pagan ritual by the Church of Rome. Especially is this seen in the case of baptism.5
It was these Fathers who, on their conversion, brought the title "Sunday" into the Church from the Pagan terminology which they had been accustomed to use in connection with their Sun-worship.
Justin Martyr (114-165 A.D.) in his second Apology (i.e., his second defense of Christianity), says, 6 in chap. 67. on "The weekly worship of the Christians," - "On the day called SUN-DAY all who live in the country gather together to one place... SUN-DAY is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of SATURN [i.e., Saturn's day]; and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the SUN, having appeared to his apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration."
It is passing strange that if John called the first day of the week "the Lord's Day," we find no trace of the use of such a title until a hundred years later. And that though we do find a change, it is to "Sunday," and not the "the Lord's Day" - a name which has become practically universal.7
Some Christians still perpetuate the name of the Lord's Day for Sunday: but it is really the survival of a Pagan name, with a new meaning, derived from a misunderstanding of Revelation 1:9.
Objection has been taken to the interpretation of "the Lord's Day" here, because we have (in 1:9) the adjective "Lord's" instead of the noun (in regimen), "of the Lord," as in the Hebrew. But what else could it be called in Hebrew? Such objectors do not seem to be aware of the fact that there is no adjective for "Lord's" in Hebrew; and therefore the only way of expressing "the Lord's Day" is by using the two nouns, "the day of the Lord" - which means equally "the Lord's Day" (Jehovah's day). It is useless, therefore, to make any objection on this ground; for if a Hebrew wanted to say "the Lord's Day," he must say "the day of the Lord."
In the Greek there are two ways of expressing this (as in modern languages); either by saying literally, as in Hebrew, "the day of the Lord" (using the two nouns); or by using the adjective "Lord's" instead. It comes to exactly the same thing as to signification; the difference lies only in the emphasis.
The natural way of qualifying a noun is by using an adjective, as here – (kyriakee) Lord's; and, when this is done, the emphasis takes its natural course, and is placed on the noun thus qualified ("day"). But when the emphasis is required to be placed on the word "Lord;" then, instead of the adjective, the noun would be used in the genitive case, "of the Lord." In the former case (as in Revelation 1:9), it would be "the Lord's DAY." In the latter case it would be "THE LORD'S day." The same day is meant in each case, but with a different emphasis.
By way of illustration and proof, we may call attention to the fact that we have the corresponding expressions concerning another "day." In Luke 17:22 we have "the days of the Son of Man," where the emphasis must be on "THE SON OF MAN" (as shown by the context). While in I Corinthians 4:3 we have "man's DAY," with the emphasis on "day," marking that "day" as being actually present, as it now is. This is so clear from the context that it is actually translated "judgment," which is exactly what it means. The apostle says - "It is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's DAY." The emphasis is on day, because the time in which we now live is the time, or "day," when man is judging. Another day is coming, and that is the day when the Lord will be present, and He will be the judge. This is the reason why the adjective (anthropinee) man's is used in I Corinthians 4:3; and this is why (kyriakee), Lord's is used in Revelation 1:9. So far from the use of the adjective being an argument against our conclusion, it is an argument in favor of it. For what is the "DAY of the Lord" or "the LORD'S day"? The first occurrence of the expression (which is the key to its meaning) is in Isaiah 2:11.8 It is the day when "the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted.
That is the one great object of all the future events, seen by John in vision, and recorded for us in the Apocalypse.
One other fact has to be stated, and that is the reason why the first day of the week came to be called "Sunday." It was called by the Pagan "Dominus Sol," the Lord Sun. Hence the Latin name "Dies Dominica," used by the early Christian Fathers for the Sunday, and the speedy transition of its name from "the Lord Sun" to "the Lord's Day," and then "Sunday." Bingham (Ant. 10., sec. 5) mentions the fact that it was the custom in the Primitive Church to replace heathen days and festivals by those which were Christian. We see one result of this in our Yule-tide and Christmas. Bingham (Ant. 10., sec. 2) also mentions the fact that the early Christians were charged with being worshippers of the sun. Tertullian also admits that Christians were only looked upon by some as a sect of sun worshippers:9 while some account for this on other grounds: (e.g. the sects of the Gnostics and Basilideans having retained or introduced solar forms of worship). Yet these facts are better and more fully accounted for by the adoption of the name "the Lord's Day" for the Sunday; while it serves to throw light on the transition from the original name of "the first day of the week."
From all this evidence we feel justified in believing that the Apocalypse consists of a series of visions, which set forth the events connected with "the Revelation of Jesus Christ," which will take place during "the Lord's DAY;" that day being so called because it is viewed as being then present; and as it had been called heretofore in prophecy, "the day of the Lord."
If one wants to insist upon this text applying to a definite day of the week, he must look elsewhere to see which day the Bible calls the Lord's Day. Jesus says in Mark 2:28 that He is Lord of the Sabbath, and thus, as Master of that day, it belongs to Him. The only day that belongs to Him is the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Isaiah 58:13 calls the Sabbath "My [the Lord's!] holy day." The other six days are ours to do our work and pleasures.
Finally, in the original commandment in Exodus 20:10, the Lord says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God." Therefore, if John saw this vision on any day of the week—if it indeed occurred on "the Lord's day"—it was the seventh-day Sabbath!
What Is the Origin of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6, 15)?
Nicolaitan means "a follower of Nicolas." It comes from two Greek words, nikos and laos. Nikos means "conqueror" or "destroyer," and laos means "people." The original Nicolas was a conqueror or destroyer of the people!
Some people believe that the original Nicolas was Nimrod—the original archrebel, who conquered the people and founded a man-made civilization within two centuries after the Flood (Genesis 10:8-12)! While he was alive, Nimrod put himself in the place of God, or as the biblical text puts it, "he was a mighty hunter before the LORD" (verse 9). When he died, his admirers continued to worship him as a divine hero. They called him "Baal," a name found throughout the Old Testament, meaning "master" or "lord."
Nimrod also had other names. One, commonly used throughout Asia Minor, was "Santa" (see Lempriere's Classical Dictionary.) "Santa Claus" is but a shortened form of "Santa Nicholas" or "Saint Nicholas." Many unknowingly honor this Nicholas even in our day by by observing customs associated with December 25. Christmas originally was the Saturnalia or birthday of Nimrod. Of course, these customs handed down from ancient paganism have been renamed and made to appear innocent and good!
Others think that the Nicolas mentioned in Revelation 2 is the man called "Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch," ordained a deacon early in the church's history in Acts 6:1-6. Writings of the time say he later came to follow Gnostic teachings and became an ascetic, and many followed his new doctrine. For further information on this Nicolas and his affect on the church, please see Nicolaitanism Today.
What Is the 'Synagogue of Satan' (Revelation 2:9; 3:9)?
The word synagogue comes from a Greek word meaning "assembly of men" or "congregation," and it was used much like the English word "church." The "synagogue of Satan," then, is an assembly or congregation—a church—made up of the individuals who "say they are Jews, and are not." The term "Jew" is used here in a spiritual sense.
Notice the apostle Paul's definition of a spiritual Jew in Romans 2:29: "He is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." In this case, it is not one's physical race that counts, but his spiritual condition (Galatians 3:27-29; Romans 4:16). true Christians are spiritual Jews because Jesus says in John 4:22, "salvation is of the Jews."
Those in the "synagogue of Satan" say they are spiritual Jews—pretend to be real Christians—but are not. This false church was already developing in the days of the apostle John, masquerading as God's true church. It had congregations in the cities of Smyrna and Philadelphia in Asia Minor even at that early time. It and its daughter churches are further described in Revelation 17.
One of the hallmarks of Satan's activities is deception, particularly counterfeiting the things of God. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers [servants] transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Jesus says we will know such false ministers by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20). Thus, we should make sure that the church we attend and its ministers are following biblical doctrines and producing the fruit of righteousness. Otherwise, it may well be a "synagogue of Satan."
Was Jesus Created by God (Revelation 3:14)?
The correct meaning of the phrase "the Beginning of the creation of God" is the Beginner or Author of God's creation. "Beginning" is a rendering of the Greek word archee, which refers to an originating instrument or active cause of origin (see Colossians 1:15-17). In his The New Testament in the Language of Today, William F. Beck translates this as "The Origin of God's creation." As the Creator or Originator of all things, Jesus is the Head and Governor of all creatures; He is the King of creation (see Psalm 148). For further discussion of this meaning, please see the commentary on this verse by Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown and the one by Adam Clarke.
Proverbs 8:22-31 is sometimes cited as evidence that Jesus was created. However, this passage is clearly referring to wisdom personified (see verse 1), not to God! Notice that God possessed wisdom in the beginning and used it in creating the worlds.
The Bible tells us plainly that Jesus (who many believe was Melchizedek—Genesis 14:18-20) had no beginning of days nor end of life (Hebrews 7:1-3). He was not created, but was the Creator of all things that were made (Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2; 2:10). He was with the Father in the beginning, and all things were made by Him (John 1:1-3). He has always existed.
Who Are the Twenty-four Elders (Revelation 4:4)?
Revelation 4 and 5 describe the throne room of God in heaven and its activities. Prominent among them are the twenty-four elders:
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I say twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. . . . [T]he twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:4, 10-11).
Some falsely teach that the twenty-four elders are taken from among saved mortals. This assumption is primarily based on a mistranslation of Revelation 5:8-10 in many versions, even the respected King James version. According to the Greek text, the last half of verse 9 and all of verse 10 should read: "For You were slain, and have redeemed them [the saints, not us] to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation; and have made them [not us] kings and priests to our God; and they [not we] shall reign on the earth."
Notice the translation of these verses in the English Standard Version: ". . . for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
From this correct text, we see that these "elders" are not changed mortals but powerful spirit beings who assist God at His throne in heaven. Verse 10 explicitly says that the resurrected saints will reign on earth! See Revelation 20:4 where this idea is repeated and expanded.
We know that the twenty-four elders are not redeemed human beings because no man except Jesus Christ (John 3:13) has ascended to heaven where God's throne is. All saved human beings—those who are Christ's true servants—will be given immortality at Christ's coming—when He returns to the earth to rule and reign (I Corinthians 15:22-23).
The twenty-four elders, then, are a part of the created heavenly host, that is, angels of high rank and honor. They are created spirit beings and have been given positions of responsibility in the government of God, through which He rules the universe. Revelation 5:8 says the elders each have a harp and golden bowls full of incense, symbolic of the prayers of the saints. From these symbols we can perhaps see a little of their function before God.
The harp is a musical instrument, and biblically, it was used a great deal in accompanying the Psalms and in the worship of God (see II Samuel 6:5; I Chronicles 15:16; 25:1, 3, 6; II Chronicles 5:11-14; Nehemiah 12:27; Psalm 33:2; 98:5; etc.). Similarly, the twenty-four elders are responsible for praising God in song, possibly in conducting vast choirs of angels (see Revelation 5:11-12).
The golden bowls full of incense representing the prayers of God's people hint at a second responsibility: that of carrying out God's answers to prayer. Perhaps, once God determines how a situation should be handled, He leaves its accomplishment in the hands of these trusted servants, who, Paul says, are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for [serve for the sake of (ESV)] those who will inherit salvation" (Hebrews 1:14). Though this function is speculative, it is not inconsistent with the function of angels elsewhere in the Bible (see Daniel 9:20-23; 10:10-21).
Who Are the 'Souls Under the Altar' Mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11?
Some have claimed that these verses prove the immortality of the soul and that people go to heaven when they die. The Bible itself, however, shows that souls are mortal by nature (Job 33:22; Ezekiel 13:19; 18:4, 20) and that this entire description is symbolic, not literal.
What did John see? In vision he beheld a book or scroll sealed with seven seals. As Jesus opened each seal (Revelation 5:5), John saw a preview of an event that would "take place after this" (Revelation 4:1). John was "in the Spirit" while the seven seals were being opened (verse 2). So, the events he saw were not actually happening then; he saw heavenly enactments of what was to take place in the future on earth.
When the fifth seal was opened, John "saw under [at the base of] the altar the souls of those who had been slain" (Revelation 6:9). Because Jesus revealed the meaning of the seven seals when He was on earth, we know that the fifth seal is symbolic of the coming Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:9-28). This means that Revelation 6 reveals an event to take place on the earth just before Christ's return.
In vision, John is projected forward to our time now, a time when one martyrdom has already happened (during the Middle Ages) and a greater one (the Tribulation) is yet to come. The "souls" (Christians) who "would be slain [martyred]" are told to "rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed" (Revelation 6:11). Those who have died as martyrs are to continue to "rest" - remain in their graves (compare Acts 2:26-27) - until others, like them, are also martyred. Remember, heaven contains no graves, so this must occur on the earth.
The "souls" - the dead saints - crying "avenge our blood" (Revelation 6:10) is similar to Abel's blood (his life, see Leviticus 17:14) crying to God from the ground (Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 11:4). Since neither blood nor the dead talk (Psalm 115:17; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10), we know that the meaning is not literal. The "souls under the altar," then, is a symbolic picture of the martyrdom of saints.
Who Are the 144,000 (Revelation 7 and 14)?
In Revelation 7, verse 1, we find that the Day of the Lord—a time of terrible plagues—is to be delayed temporarily, until the servants of God have been sealed (verse 3). According to the sequence of prophesied events, this sealing is yet in the future. It will occur after the coming Great Tribulation and the appearance of the heavenly signs, but just before the plagues of God's judgments are poured out.
Next, notice Jesus' own explanation of the 144,000: They are of the tribes of Israel, 12,000 of each tribe (verse 4), who are set apart from the rest of humanity (see Ezekiel 9:3-10 for a similar occurrence). In Galatians 6:16, the church is called "the Israel of God," so this separation into "tribes of the children of Israel" may be a spiritual designation rather than physical lineage.
The 144,000 are sealed by the Holy Spirit in their foreheads (minds). Revelation 14:1 shows that this sealing is done by writing the Father's name there. Jesus' very last prayer was that His church would be kept—preserved, guarded—in the Father's name (John 17:11). This suggests that the 144,000 are set apart, and thus protected (in an eternal sense), by God's work of building character in them, as God's name identifies and defines His character.
So, like those in Ezekiel's day who "sigh and cry over the abominations that are done," the 144,000 will be spared the terrors of the Day of the Lord because they have proven their sterling character before God. This is confirmed in Revelation 14:4, which describes them as "not defiled with women, for they are virgins," that is, morally upright and undefiled by false religion. Verse 5 adds, "And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God." Their sealing is obviously based on their spiritual condition rather than their physical descent.
They are also called "redeemed from among men, . . . firstfruits to God and the Lamb" (verse 4). This can only mean that they are those who take part in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6; I Corinthians 15:23). They are a special first "crop" of God's harvest, who are given special rewards and privileges because of their struggles in overcoming of Satan and their sins—Hebrews 11:35 calls it "a better resurrection."
The 144,000 are a unique group of people who overcome their sins and grow in character, and their reward is to live and rule forever by the side of Jesus Christ.
Why Is the Tribe of Dan Not Mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8?
It is interesting to note that Dan is also left out of the genealogies of I Chronicles 1-9. This historical point of interest helps explain why Dan was not mentioned in Revelation 7:4-8.
The tribe of Dan as a whole was guilty of gross idolatry—even to the point of stealing the idols they used to practice their religion (Judges 18:14-31). Theirs was the first organized idolatry in ancient Israel, and the longest in duration. It continued "until the day of the captivity of the land," nearly 500 years later (Judges 18:30). Jewish tradition says that Dan was the first tribe to follow Jeroboam into his sin of idolatry, and in their literature, the term "Dan" is often used to represent idolatry.
From this summarized history of the tribe of Dan, it becomes obvious why Dan would not be among the 144,000 "servants of our God," as they are called in Revelation 7:3. Dan thoroughly rejected God's true religion for thousands of years, substituting a continuous tradition of idolatry. The end-time descendants of Dan say, "I have waited for your salvation, O LORD" (Genesis 49:1, 18). The vast majority of Danites must wait for salvation until after the sealing of the 144,000.
It is reassuring to know that Dan and all the other tribes of ancient Israel will be saved. In fact, Dan is mentioned first in the apportioning of land in the soon-coming Millennium (Ezekiel 48:1). The apostle Paul assures us, "All Israel will be saved" (Romans 11:26). The 144,000 are only a very small portion of the people of all nations who will eventually be saved.
A related question involves the tribe of Ephraim. Some have thought that this tribe is not mentioned among the 144,000 either, but Ephraim is indeed included. Notice that both the tribe of Manasseh and the tribe of Joseph are listed. Ephraim and Manasseh were the two sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:1). Since Manasseh is one of the two tribes descended from Joseph, "the tribe of Joseph" mentioned in Revelation 7:8 must refer to Ephraim. From this, we can learn that Ephraim, being the leading tribe of the house of Joseph, sometimes bore the name "Joseph."
Who Are the Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:3)?
No one now knows who the Two Witnesses are. But when they do appear, we will know that the return of Christ is not far away.
The Two Witnesses are two human beings who will be given extraordinary power for 3 1/2 years just before Christ's return (Revelation 11:3). If anyone attempts to harm them before they complete their ministry, "fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies" (verse 5). Note the similarity between this and the power given to Elijah (II Kings 1:9-15). They will also have power to produce drought and famine, as did Elijah (Luke 4:25; I Kings 17:1-7), and to smite the earth with plagues, as Moses did in Egypt (Revelation 11:6). However, there is no biblical justification to believe that the Two Witnesses are indeed Moses and Elijah; God has never resurrected a prophet or apostle to do a work centuries or millennia later. God always uses people of the time to carry out His work.
The most notable work of the Two Witnesses will be to give one final warning to this world. This message of rebuke and repentance will bring them into conflict with the people and the governments in power, and they will be martyred. The whole world will rejoice and give each other gifts as they view their dead bodies, lying unburied in the streets of Jerusalem (verses 9-10). However, those same people will be struck with great fear when they see the Two Witnesses come to life again and ascend into the sky in a cloud (verses 11-12).
Verse 4 calls them "the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth," an obvious reference to Zechariah 4:14. Combining this Old Testament prophecy with the interpretation of the lampstands in Revelation 1:20, it appears that the Two Witnesses will also have a profound ministry to the church of God: They will supply the church with "oil," that is, they will spiritually feed the church during the "famine of the word" (Amos 8:11). Thus, the Two Witnesses will be affiliated with and teaching the members of God's church before and possibly during their greater worldwide ministry.
Is the 'Mark of the Beast' an Implanted Microchip (Revelation 13:16-18)?
With fair regularity, stories appear in the media about technology that will allow the Beast to number and track every person on earth. People believe that either a number or bar code will be imprinted on the foreheads or hands of those who will be permitted to buy or sell. Lately, the stories have been about implantable microchips that will store vital information about each of us. Such stories are widely circulated, but no proof exists that any of them are part of a worldwide conspiracy. These reports are based on a misunderstanding of Revelation 13.
The "Beast" mentioned in Bible prophecy is a governmental system, a revived Holy Roman Empire, headed by an evil human dictator (see Daniel 2:26-45; 7:1-8, 15-27; 11:36-45; Revelation 17:7-18). When Jesus comes, He will personally throw both that dictator and his "False Prophet" accomplice into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20).
Receiving the Beast's number, name or mark has to do with giving allegiance to the government this dictator will establish and to the false religion that will be an integral part of that system. The Bible uses the symbols of the forehead and the right hand to represent one's loyalty by thought and work—mental and physical allegiance. The Scriptures teach that God's law is to be uppermost in our lives (Deuteronomy 6:8; 8:3).
Satan the Devil will be the spiritual power behind the Beast (Revelation 13:2), and he invariably counterfeits God's way to deceive even true believers into forsaking the truth (II Corinthians 11:13-15; Matthew 24:24). The Beast's system will therefore be a counterfeit of God's, and its mark—or identifying sign—a counterfeit of God's sign, the Sabbath (Exodus 31:13-17; Ezekiel 20:12). It is more likely, then, that the mark of the Beast will be an enforced "day of worship"—and it will not be the seventh-day Sabbath!
Does Not Revelation 19:1 Say There Are 'Much People in Heaven'?
This is an unfortunate translation in the King James and other Bible versions of the Greek phrase óchlou polloú. This combination can mean "much [or many] people," but it also has a variety of other English synonyms. Since the Bible elsewhere plainly tells us that the reward of the saved is this earth (see Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:22; Romans 4:13; Revelation 5:10; etc.)—not heaven—it is evident that another rendering of this Greek phrase should have been chosen.
Many modern translations, for instance, the New King James, the New American Standard, English Standard, New International, and the Revised Standard versions render óchlou polloú as "great multitude." The Revised English Bible translates it as "vast throng," the Moffatt translation renders it as "great host," the Amplified New Testament uses "great crowd," and the J.B. Phillips version has it as "vast crowd."
These translations best convey the meaning of the original Greek. Thus, the "people" of Revelation 19:1 are not humans, as we normally construe the word to mean. John is actually describing the "host, crowd, throng, or multitude" of heaven. This verse is speaking thousands or tens of thousands of angels who sing praises to God before His throne in heaven (Revelation 5:11-12).
What Will Happen After Christ's 1,000-Year Rule?
The apostle John's visions, recorded in Revelation 20:7 through the end of the book, describe these events. Very little additional detail about this time is recorded in Scripture.
What will happen after God's plan of salvation has been completed and the earth purged by fire (II Peter 3:10-12; see "Does Peter Predict the Total Destruction of the Earth in II Peter 3:10?" for an explanation) is found in Revelation 21:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle [dwelling] of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God." (verses 1-3)
At that time, the earth will become the headquarters of God's Kingdom for the entire universe, and from that time forward it will never cease to expand (Luke 1:33; Isaiah 9:7). We can only guess what members of God's Family will do. Scripture provides us only a few clues.
God's purpose is concerned with all eternity. The sons admitted into His Kingdom will be active, dynamic, productive! They will not just sit around idly, but like the Father, they will plan and create. In a word, they will continue fulfilling God's master plan. Hebrews 2:6-8 says that God will ultimately put the whole universe—all things—under man's authority.
What is happening now is only the beginning. We cannot begin to fathom the immensity and glory of what the born-again sons of God will be doing for eternity. A great deal more is included than meets the eye in the hint given in Revelation 21:5: "Behold, I make all things new." Everything will be made glorious and wonderful beyond our most imaginative dreams (I Corinthians 2:9; Romans 8:18). God speed that day!
Will the Beast and False Prophet Suffer Eternal Torment (Revelation 20:10)?
Some misunderstand this verse because of a translation error in the King James and other versions of the Bible. In many Bibles, certain words are italicized if they have been added to the text by the translators to facilitate understanding. Notice that in Revelation 20:10 the word "are" in the phrase "where the beast and the False Prophet are" is in italics. This present-tense verb is not in the original Greek text of Revelation; its tense is to be understood from the context.
According to the chronology of Revelation itself, both the Beast and the False Prophet will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire at the beginning of God's thousand-year reign on the earth (Revelation 19:20). By merely using God's explanation of what happens to human bodies when they are cast into fire, we find that they will be burned up (Psalm 37:20). Therefore, the phrase in Revelation 20:10 should be translated "where the beast and the false prophet were [or were cast]."
In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says, "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Jesus plainly shows that the everlasting fire was prepared for Satan and his angels. However, He goes on to say that human beings who are ultimately judged unfit for eternal life are also to be cast into this very Lake of Fire. "And these will go away into everlasting punishment" (verse 46). He means that their punishment is eternal, that is, irrevocable.
When these people are cast into the Lake of Fire, then, it is by God's definition "the second death," from which there is no resurrection. "Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15). Notice also Revelation 21:8, "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Thus, human beings like the Beast and False Prophet will totally burn up and die in the Lake of Fire, while Satan and his demons will suffer eternal torment as described in the last part of Revelation 20:10: "And they [Satan and his demons] will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
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