Today’s reading is Revelation 9.
Seven spirits. Seven lampstands. Seven stars. Seven angels. Seven churches. Seven seals. Seven trumpets. Seven thunders. Seven bowls. Seven clearly matters. We are, of course, taken back to the very beginning. God created the world in seven days. God works in sevens. Seven is divine. Seven is complete. However, as we consider the notion of warnings, judgment, and an appeal to repentance, another seven might come to the mind of an ancient reader familiar with the Torah, the Law.
The Lord Warned Israel
In Leviticus 26:14-18, the Lord warned Israel what would happen if they refused to listen to His commandments:
But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consumes the eyes and make the heart ache. 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 struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins… (ESV)
If Israel did not obey the Lord, He would bring judgments on them. But those very judgments were intended to lead them to repentance. Then…do you catch it? If they do not repent, the Lord will discipline them sevenfold for their sins. He went on to describe that discipline and then said again in Leviticus 26:21:
Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins… (ESV)
He repeats the warning again in vs. 24 and vs. 28: “I will strike/discipline you sevenfold for your sins” (ESV).
The Lord Warned the Churches
Certainly, God reveals to John what was coming for the Lord’s enemies in a sevenfold discipline represented by seven trumpets. In a few chapters, He will drive this nail home in another sevenfold discipline with seven bowls of wrath. Obviously, this is a warning against the seven cities of Asia Minor. Folks in those cities would do well to hear these messages, heed them, and give allegiance to King Jesus who had gone forth conquering and to conquer before He comes and conquers them.
But don’t forget whom the Lord had already called to repentance. John reveals to the Christians of the seven churches why they want to either repent or hang on as the charges fit their circumstances. No doubt, as we learned in previous discussions, John was not telling the Christians some day in the future literal locusts with scorpion tails or horses with lion heads and serpent tails would attack them. He was explaining if they didn’t repent, they would be horrified by the ultimate results.
The Lord Warns Us
God is explaining how bad being against Him will be not merely for those ancient disciples, but also for us. These apocalyptic images are horrific precisely because whatever they mirror in the world of our experience will be horrific. We do not want to be lulled into thinking compromising with the world is the path to peace and prosperity. It is not. It is the path to sevenfold discipline.
I for one don’t want to get in any kind of situation which can be described as longing to die, but not being allowed to. I want to be sealed. I want to be like Philadelphia no matter how little influence, wealth, and power she had. I for one do not want to face anything that would mirror the horror of horses with lion’s heads and snake tails. I do not want to face anything that would be as horrific in God’s eyes as dying in a plague of fire, smoke, and brimstone. I want to be like Smyrna no matter how much men made her suffer.
Where the shoe fits, let us repent. Where we are standing strong, let us hang on. Jesus always wins. We want to be on His side today and forever.
Tomorrow’s reading is Revelation 9.
PODCAST!!!
PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Revelation 9 prompt or improve your trust in God?
Read the Bible 