I would love to see these posts on Revelation, adapted from your ITC volumes, compiled into a concise, affordable, lay-level book that provides an overview NT eschatology and Revelation. It would be the go-to resource for our congregation!
It's hard to find a resource that takes the "typological preterist" approach to Revelation, highlighting the significance of AD70 and the immanent eschatology of the NT, but is also in a format like the Lexham Press "Christian Essentials" series. I'm not sure if one exists, except for maybe Sproul's "Last Days according to Jesus."
Jesus predicts that the world of Jerusalem and Rome will deliver up his disciples "to be afflicted and shall kill you; and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.", which brings us to the martyrs under the altar, whose cries for vengance must continue until the full quota of martyr blood is shed.
I wonder if this is specifically relevant to the persecution of the Church by the religious authorities in
Jerusalem? For example, in Matt. 23: 34-36, Jesus says "Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes; and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city: that the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Berechias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation."
It's interesting that a martyr figure recieves first mention in Heb.11, namely Abel. More than that, the epistle's description of the heavenly Mt. Zion juxtaposes Christ's blood, the "blood of sprinkling", which is there with Christ himself as the mediator of the New Covenant, and the blood of righteous Abel. The blood of sprinkling is just as vocal and Abel's blood which cried for vengance from the earth, but it "speaks better things", i.e., the peace of redemption for the Jewish Christians who were being persecuted by Jerusalem for confessing Christ.
The martyrs eventually recieve white robes and take the place of the 24 angelic Anointed ones in heaven. Does this have anything to do with their having come into proximity with the blood of sprinkling? Rev. 7 speaks of martyrs who in great tribulation washed the robes in the blood of the lamb. I've always assumed this referred to their deaths as martyrs. But perhaps more is going on?
Pointing out that John saw Jesus as a lamb appearing in heaven as His past ascension from the heavenly viewpoint was very illuminating. Thanks.
I would love to see these posts on Revelation, adapted from your ITC volumes, compiled into a concise, affordable, lay-level book that provides an overview NT eschatology and Revelation. It would be the go-to resource for our congregation!
It's hard to find a resource that takes the "typological preterist" approach to Revelation, highlighting the significance of AD70 and the immanent eschatology of the NT, but is also in a format like the Lexham Press "Christian Essentials" series. I'm not sure if one exists, except for maybe Sproul's "Last Days according to Jesus."
Thanks, Mitch. I'd like to do exactly this.
Groping towards the making of connections.
Jesus predicts that the world of Jerusalem and Rome will deliver up his disciples "to be afflicted and shall kill you; and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.", which brings us to the martyrs under the altar, whose cries for vengance must continue until the full quota of martyr blood is shed.
I wonder if this is specifically relevant to the persecution of the Church by the religious authorities in
Jerusalem? For example, in Matt. 23: 34-36, Jesus says "Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes; and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city: that the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Berechias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation."
It's interesting that a martyr figure recieves first mention in Heb.11, namely Abel. More than that, the epistle's description of the heavenly Mt. Zion juxtaposes Christ's blood, the "blood of sprinkling", which is there with Christ himself as the mediator of the New Covenant, and the blood of righteous Abel. The blood of sprinkling is just as vocal and Abel's blood which cried for vengance from the earth, but it "speaks better things", i.e., the peace of redemption for the Jewish Christians who were being persecuted by Jerusalem for confessing Christ.
The martyrs eventually recieve white robes and take the place of the 24 angelic Anointed ones in heaven. Does this have anything to do with their having come into proximity with the blood of sprinkling? Rev. 7 speaks of martyrs who in great tribulation washed the robes in the blood of the lamb. I've always assumed this referred to their deaths as martyrs. But perhaps more is going on?