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The Scriptorium

Conquering and to Conquer

The Rider on the white horse.

The Heart of God: The End in Sight (4)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Read and meditate on Revelation 6 and Revelation 9-12.
We’ll need to consider these chapters somewhat out of order if we want to make sense of what we see here. Read chapter 12 first, then go back to Revelation 6, then 9-11. A kind of “timelessness” pervades the book of Revelation. We glimpse things in time backward and forward, again and again, from various perspectives. This is the way God “sees” things in time. He does not exist in time but over it, so He sees all time in a single comprehensive glance. John’s report is the best we can do to enter God’s perspective on time, and it helps us to keep this in mind as we read.

For reflection
1.  Meditate on chapter 12. This chapter is in many ways a key to understanding the book as a whole. What happens in verses 1 and 2? What event does the second part of verse 4 recall (cf. Matt. 2.1-18)? Verses 3 and 4a actually follow, in time, verses 7-9. What happens in these verses? Verse 5 covers the New Testament from Matthew 1 to Acts 1, and verses 6 and 10-17 encompass the book of Acts and the rest of history. How do you see the theme of patient endurance and tribulation in these verses? What kind of endurance?

2.  Revelation elaborates what we should expect of conditions on earth. What does the rider on the white horse represent (cf. Ps. 45.3-7)? What do the other riders and horses represent? What are we supposed to gather from this vision about the continuing progress of God’s covenant plan in history?

3.  According the chapter 5, the effects of the “star fallen from heaven to earth” are pervasive. Explain. How does chapter 12 suggest that we understand this “star”? How can we see in this chapter that, in spite of the widespread effects of sin, God and His hosts are still in charge of events on earth? How do we account for the fact that people fail to repent at the temporal judgments of God?

4.  In chapter 10 John receives a book, which he eats. What makes the book sweet to the taste? What makes it bitter to the stomach? What was John supposed to do as a result of “eating” this book? How does this relate to our callings as brethren and companions of John (Rev.1.9)?

5.  Who are the “two witnesses” of Revelation 11. How does their work compare with what John was called to do in chapter 10? How should we understand the power these witnesses wield? I think we should read chapter 11 not as a once-for-all situation, but as a representative situation, one we should expect to recur again and again. What proclamation accompanies the work of these witnesses (Rev. 11.15-18)?

Summary
On earth the struggle that began in heaven continues, as Satan tries to frustrate the progress of Christ’s rule on earth. But God’s Word is on our side. Angels help in Christ’s unfolding plan. Not even persecution or death can prevent the proclamation and progress of the Kingdom. Christ continues to ride forth, according to His Word, by His Spirit, in His witnesses, conquering and to conquer over all the earth. How should the message of these chapters guide a local church in thinking about its ministry?

Closing Prayer
You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.
Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One,
With Your glory and Your majesty.
And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness;
And Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.
Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies;
The peoples fall under You.
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

Psalm 45.2-7

T. M. Moore

Two books can help you gain a fuller understanding of the terrain we will be covering in this series. Kingdom Documentsprovides a concise overview of the primary teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and shows, through early Church creeds, how our forebears understood the primary teachings of God’s Word. (click here to order). I Will Be Your Goddevelops more fully the idea of God’s covenant and leads us to consider the practical implications of our covenant relationship with God (click here).

Visit The Ailbe Seminary, where our course,
Introduction to Biblical Theology, offers a parallel study of our theme in this series, using brief video presentations and the workbook God’s Covenant: An Introduction. All courses at The Ailbe Seminary are available without charge.

We are happy to be able to offer each week’s Scriptorium studies in a free weekly PDF, suitable for personal or group use. You can download all the studies in this series by clicking here. Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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