Tribulation of the Church
In Revelation, faithful saints undergo tribulation, but the unrepentant inhabitants of the earth receive wrath, the Second Death.
At the beginning of the book, John identifies himself as a
“fellow participant” with the churches of Asia “in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance.”
In his exile on Patmos “for the testimony of Jesus,” he participates in the
same “tribulation” endured by the “seven churches.”
“TRIBULATION”
The term occurs five times in the book of Revelation.
Each time it is used in relation to believers. In other words, “tribulation”
is what churches experience. And elsewhere in the New Testament, the word is applied
to what disciples of Jesus experience for
his sake - (Matthew 13:21, John 16:33, Revelation 1:9, 2:9-10, 7:14).
In the Greek text of John’s declaration, ONE
definite article or “the” modifies all three nouns - Tribulation, Kingdom, Endurance.
Each term represents an aspect of the same reality.
To live faithfully “in Jesus” results in “tribulation”
for his kingdom. And to suffer for him is what it means to reign with Christ.
The Greek term rendered “endurance” or hupomoné occurs six more times in the book, and it is always
linked to believers who persevere in persecution - (Revelation 2:2-3, 2:19, 3:10,
13:10, 14:12-13).
 |
| [Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash] |
And
perseverance is how believers
“overcome” and inherit the promises found at the end of each of the letters
to the “seven churches.”
In
Revelation, the “Dragon” and his vassals wage war against the “saints,”
not with nations or governments. The target of Satan’s attacks is the church – “those
who have the testimony of Jesus” - (Revelation 12:17, 13:7-10).
FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH
The “Lamb” who was slain to redeem his people now summons
his “saints…to be faithful even unto death.” They must remain steadfast
in trials, even when doing so means violent death. It is faithfulness in tribulation that results
in their receipt of the “crown of life.”
And faithful saints endure the “great tribulation,” the period
during which the followers of the “Lamb” are tried but also overcome the
“Beast from the sea” and the “Dragon” by their “testimony.”
After doing so, they find themselves “standing before the Throne and the
Lamb” in the New Creation - (Revelation 7:9-17).
In contrast to persevering saints, the unrepentant “inhabitants
of the earth” undergo “wrath” - the “Second Death” in the “Lake
of Fire.”
In Revelation, “wrath” refers to the punitive sentence of God on His enemies, and nowhere in the book is it equated with “tribulation.”
Thus, the “churches” endure “tribulation,” but
they do not undergo the divine “wrath.” That is reserved for the enemies
of the “Lamb” that afflict his people.
And those who would follow Jesus “wherever he goes”
overcome the “Dragon by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their
testimony, and because they love not their lives even unto death.” They remain faithful in their testimony
even at the cost of their own life - (Revelation 12:11).
Comments
Post a Comment