Today’s reading is Revelation 22.
The Enemies Look On
Nearly a universal favorite among the psalms is “The Lord is My Shepherd.” The Twenty-third psalm is at the top of the list for many Christians. One of the blessings listed within it is “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 23:5a, ESV). This statement has moved from the Lord being our Shepherd to the Lord being our host. He prepares a feast as the enemies look on. They neither participate in the feast, nor can they stop us from feasting. We are on the inside. They are on the outside.
In Revelation 22:14-15, we see a similar picture. Those who have washed their robes or who have followed the Lord’s commandments feast at the tree of life inside the holy city of God, New Jerusalem. Outside, unable to participate or interfere are the “dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (ESV). We know from Revelation 20:9-10, even should these rebels try to mount an attack against the city, they will be consumed by heavenly fire.
A Picture of Judgment Used by Jesus
In Matthew 8:10-12, when praising the faith of a Roman centurion, Jesus declared:
Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (ESV).
We find a similar message in Luke 13:22-30. In this parable, the master of a house shuts the gates on those who refused to enter by the narrow door. When they complain, the master responds:
“I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God (ESV).
In heaven’s kingdom, a feast occurs. Those in the kingdom dine with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They recline at table with each other. We can compare this to the “marriage supper of the Lamb” in Revelation 19:9. As the feast occurs, those who rebelled against the Lamb, the King, are tossed into the outer darkness. That is, they are tossed into the night. They look on as we feast in the kingdom, but they can neither participate nor interfere. In fact, recalling Revelation 19:17-21, those outside are eaten by the birds.
Reclining With Abraham
The struggle in Revelation 21-22 are the two different pictures given of the sinfully immoral. In Revelation 22:15, they are outside the city. We can easily see that as in the outer darkness. The Lamb’s light shines in the city, but there is no sun. However, in Revelation 21:8, the sinfully immoral have their part in the lake of fire. Which is it? Are they merely outside of the city walls or are they tossed into the lake of fire?
When Jesus tells the story of the rich man and Lazarus, He presents a picture that ties this imagery together. While in this life, the rich man “feasted sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19, ESV). Lazarus, on the other hand, was laid outside the gates of the rich man’s house. Though all the rich man had to do was step outside and toss Lazarus some scraps, he never did. Instead, Lazarus was outside with the dogs who licked his sores.
Both men died. The rich man was in torment and Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom or at Abraham’s side. But here is the key we might miss. The picture of Lazarus being in Abraham’s bosom is not a picture of Abraham giving Lazarus a big hug. Rather, the concept of being in Abraham’s side is the same concept we see in John 13:23, in which the disciple whom Jesus loved, “was reclining at table at Jesus’ side” (ESV). Or as the NKJV says, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” These ancients did not have a high table at which they sat chairs. Rather, they had a low table. They would lay down around the table, propped up on an elbow, with their feet stretching out away from the table. The disciple whom Jesus loved, John, was reclining at table and in Jesus’s side or bosom. That is, he was next to Jesus, in front of him. If he wanted to talk to Jesus, he would lean back and that would place him against Jesus’ side. That is where Lazarus finds himself. He is not being hugged by Abraham. He is reclining at table with Abraham, leaning beside him in his side or bosom.
That fits the story. This story is about role reversal. The key is in this life, the rich man fared sumptuously. In the kingdom of heaven, Lazarus is faring sumptuously at a feast with Abraham. In this life, Lazarus was outside the gate. In the kingdom of heaven, the rich man is outside the gates. In this life, Lazarus was with the dogs. In the kingdom of heaven, the rich man will be outside with the dogs. In this life, the rich man had comforts. In the kingdom of heaven, the rich man will be tormented in flame.
What picture do we see? Lazarus, in eternity, dines sumptuously with Abraham in the kingdom. The last has become first. The rich man however is outside, but at the same time is in a lake of fire. The first has become last.
Figures and Metaphors
No doubt, these pictures are figures and metaphors. Is there a literal lake of fire? Is there a literal meal? Is there a literal city? What does it look like? How does it feel? I don’t know. How do you have outer darkness in a lake of fire? I don’t know. Are the two groups separated by a city wall or by a great gulf? I don’t know.
These stories are intended to ignite our imaginations more than inform our minds. That is, these pictures, metaphors, figures are not intended to inform us precisely what any phase of the next life looks like. Rather, we are to see with our mind’s eye the horrors of judgment and the glories of the abundant life.
Inside the city is light. Outside is darkness. Inside the city is wealth. Outside is poverty. Inside the city is a marriage feast. Outside is being feasted on by birds and beasts. Inside the city is celebration. Outside is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Inside the city is comfort. Outside is torment.
I get it. In this life, being inside the city doesn’t always feel so great or look so great. A day is coming, however, when the veil will be removed. We will either be ushered into the city in its ultimate fulfillment or we will be ushered out of the city in its ultimate fulfillment. Where you reside today will determine where you reside in eternity.
Are you in the city today? Or are you outside? Can we help you? Let us know in the comments below.
Tomorrow’s reading is Revelation 22.
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Revelation 22 prompt or improve your trust in God?
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