The Why Behind Revelation
I am fascinated with Leviticus 26. Leviticus 26 is the "why" behind the events described in the Book of Revelation. Many have the mistaken impression that the Book of Revelation is scary...like God is a sloppy painter, and when He pours out His wrath it will spill out everywhere. God is not sloppy...about anything. The Bible is full of account after account of his patience, His mercy, His quick forgiveness...His very kind memory (David, Lot, Abram....I could go on and on). Every time God has judged a geographic location, there is an account of Him choosing who gets touched by the judgment, and who doesn't. This is not a coincidence. Noah builds an ark, Lot gets removed before Sodom is lit up, Egypt is beat down by the plagues while those living within Egypt, in Goshen, are made wealthy...every time judgment has been dealt in the Bible, people living in agreement with God have been present and preserved. God never changes:
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
There is a very specific reason that God does things this way. It is plain in the Bible. It is because God loves everybody and wants no one going to a lake of fire for trillions of years. People are WAY more annihilistic than God is. Lots of people want to imagine God is so angry at the world that He is going to pluck the good people off and rain down terror on the rest. He isn't like that...at all.
God doesn't lose control for one moment, and He isn't biting His nails wondering how it will all work out. He wants to bring the world to the point of fire, so that everyone who MIGHT be willing and loves truth, would choose Him, and everyone who claims to know Him but only wants Him for their own comfort and advancement quits. This is plain in the Bible. He is going to "make a difference" between those that are His and those who are not, so in one last generation everyone will finally pick whom they will SERVE and actually be committed to him or Him, at cost. This is called the "valley of decision":
Joel 3:14-15 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness.
This is because He is going to show off who HE IS by how He protects those who have chosen invisible Jesus. He has ALWAYS done it this way, He isn't going to suddenly change...there is no shadow of turning in Him:
Exodus 8:23-24 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ ” And the Lord did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.
Exodus 9:4 And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” ’ ”
Exodus 10:22-23 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exodus 14:19-20 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
These are PRECISE judgments by a very precise God. After God took His people out of Egypt, He gave them the law through Moses. Leviticus 26 was part of that Law. He told His people that He was going to judge places that lived outside of covenant with Him, and that He would bless places that lived in covenant with Him. He started out by describing places that choose Him:
Leviticus 26:3-13 ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ... I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. ...‘For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. .... I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.
Then the rest of the Chapter is about how He will bring places not choosing Him into agreement with Him. He says He will allow trouble to touch them in an increasing way...three sets of seven (the seals, trumpets, and bowls described in Revelation). Revelation is the story of Leviticus 26 actually happening, as told in advance:
Leviticus 26:14-18, 21, 27-28, 40, 42 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you SEVEN times more for your sins. ....‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you SEVEN times more plagues, according to your sins. .....‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you SEVEN times for your sins. ....‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers...
The whole point of all of this is to save people...to reform them. In advance of this happening one dramatic last time, the Bible is clear that many geographic locations will "be ready" by following the Joel 2 "prescription" for getting ready:
Joel 2:11-13 The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.
Side by side, geographic locations will either rebel against God in pride and deceit, or humble themselves and come together in one accord to raise up a tabernacle of David...night and day worship. This will shield the land of those who agree with God and they will enjoy all the promises of the first part of Leviticus 26, while those who don't will endure the increases of 7. This is all so that anyone who wants truth will change camps and call on the name of the Lord to be saved. The places that worship night and day will grow in population as the great harvest is gathered, and the places that don't will grow in wickedness as those opposed to God are concentrated in areas not worshiping night and day, just like God told Moses in Leviticus:
Amos 9:11In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine. ” The Lord has spoken, and he will do these things.
This is what Jesus meant when He told the parable of the wheat and tares. Weeds grow in a field right next to the wheat. Jesus said side by side, those in agreement with God will live in towns next to those who don't. Judgment will fall on the places in rebellion so that those willing to agree with truth will see the difference God makes between His people and those in rebellion. Many...billions...will change their mind about God and come into His kingdom as the heat is turned up...and as the blessing is turned up in the cities of refuge...it will be dramatic.
But the Bride has a job to do. The whole event is based on God's desire to reform people...to spread the Gospel. This will be the greatest fulfillment of the great commission. The Gospel will be preached with signs and wonders. Jesus didn't assign this job to angels! He assigned it to people!
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Who will preach if all the people that know Him are gone?
Romans 10:14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
Now is the time to get ready!
Luke 12:40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
There is a very specific reason that God does things this way. It is plain in the Bible. It is because God loves everybody and wants no one going to a lake of fire for trillions of years. People are WAY more annihilistic than God is. Lots of people want to imagine God is so angry at the world that He is going to pluck the good people off and rain down terror on the rest. He isn't like that...at all.
God doesn't lose control for one moment, and He isn't biting His nails wondering how it will all work out. He wants to bring the world to the point of fire, so that everyone who MIGHT be willing and loves truth, would choose Him, and everyone who claims to know Him but only wants Him for their own comfort and advancement quits. This is plain in the Bible. He is going to "make a difference" between those that are His and those who are not, so in one last generation everyone will finally pick whom they will SERVE and actually be committed to him or Him, at cost. This is called the "valley of decision":
Joel 3:14-15 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness.
This is because He is going to show off who HE IS by how He protects those who have chosen invisible Jesus. He has ALWAYS done it this way, He isn't going to suddenly change...there is no shadow of turning in Him:
Exodus 8:23-24 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.” ’ ” And the Lord did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.
Exodus 9:4 And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” ’ ”
Exodus 10:22-23 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exodus 14:19-20 And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
These are PRECISE judgments by a very precise God. After God took His people out of Egypt, He gave them the law through Moses. Leviticus 26 was part of that Law. He told His people that He was going to judge places that lived outside of covenant with Him, and that He would bless places that lived in covenant with Him. He started out by describing places that choose Him:
Leviticus 26:3-13 ‘If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ... I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land. You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you. ...‘For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. .... I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.
Then the rest of the Chapter is about how He will bring places not choosing Him into agreement with Him. He says He will allow trouble to touch them in an increasing way...three sets of seven (the seals, trumpets, and bowls described in Revelation). Revelation is the story of Leviticus 26 actually happening, as told in advance:
Leviticus 26:14-18, 21, 27-28, 40, 42 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. ‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you SEVEN times more for your sins. ....‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you SEVEN times more plagues, according to your sins. .....‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you SEVEN times for your sins. ....‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers...
The whole point of all of this is to save people...to reform them. In advance of this happening one dramatic last time, the Bible is clear that many geographic locations will "be ready" by following the Joel 2 "prescription" for getting ready:
Joel 2:11-13 The Lord is at the head of the column. He leads them with a shout. This is his mighty army, and they follow his orders. The day of the Lord is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can possibly survive? That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish.
Side by side, geographic locations will either rebel against God in pride and deceit, or humble themselves and come together in one accord to raise up a tabernacle of David...night and day worship. This will shield the land of those who agree with God and they will enjoy all the promises of the first part of Leviticus 26, while those who don't will endure the increases of 7. This is all so that anyone who wants truth will change camps and call on the name of the Lord to be saved. The places that worship night and day will grow in population as the great harvest is gathered, and the places that don't will grow in wickedness as those opposed to God are concentrated in areas not worshiping night and day, just like God told Moses in Leviticus:
Amos 9:11In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory. And Israel will possess what is left of Edom and all the nations I have called to be mine. ” The Lord has spoken, and he will do these things.
This is what Jesus meant when He told the parable of the wheat and tares. Weeds grow in a field right next to the wheat. Jesus said side by side, those in agreement with God will live in towns next to those who don't. Judgment will fall on the places in rebellion so that those willing to agree with truth will see the difference God makes between His people and those in rebellion. Many...billions...will change their mind about God and come into His kingdom as the heat is turned up...and as the blessing is turned up in the cities of refuge...it will be dramatic.
But the Bride has a job to do. The whole event is based on God's desire to reform people...to spread the Gospel. This will be the greatest fulfillment of the great commission. The Gospel will be preached with signs and wonders. Jesus didn't assign this job to angels! He assigned it to people!
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Who will preach if all the people that know Him are gone?
Romans 10:14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
Now is the time to get ready!
Luke 12:40 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Comments
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments.