Bible Prophecy II - Zechariah and Revelation

Zechariah 11:17-14:21

Zechariah 11:17

This verse speaks of a foolish shepherd. The word translated as foolish means morally deficient and corrupt. Jesus spoke of this shepherd in John 5:43, where He warns the people who reject Him that they will one day accept one who comes in his own name (Antichrist). Daniel 9:27 spoke of him making a covenant with Israel, most likely so they could build their temple again, so he could set himself up to be worshiped (2 Thess 2:1–12; Rev 13:1). It is not the lost sheep of Israel he seeks to help, but himself. Zechariah says as much when he says that he does not care for the sheep.

Zechariah 12

This chapter speaks of a future attack on Jerusalem during which they turn to the Lord when they “look on Me whom they have pierced.” This event, when God fights for them, is undoubtedly the time when Antichrist comes to destroy them. They now know that their Messiah is not the one who gave them temporary peace, but the One whom they rejected.

Zechariah 13

This chapter begins by declaring how the false prophets of the day will either turn or be rejected (1-5). It also tells of the true Prophet whom they rejected (6-7). Following this, God relates how two-thirds of the inhabitants of Jerusalem perish in the battle.

Zechariah 14

This chapter presents the scene of the Second Coming (Rev 19) as a day when God destroys the enemies of His people and sets up His kingdom. God does not kill every human being, but only those who oppose His rule. This time is the time of Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezek 40-48), where there is no division between worshippers, just as in the original Temple, not like Herod’s, where Gentiles were excluded and threatened with death if they left their area. All of God’s people, Jew and Gentile, worship together as one body, fulfilling Jesus’ statement in John 16:10 concerning the two flocks, the OT and NT saints, which came from both groups. The Feast of Booths is the only feast that has not been fulfilled, so it is celebrated as all of God’s people “tabernacle” together.

 Revelation 1

This chapter introduces the theme of the book and presents the preparation of the prophet for the revelation and his initial instructions. The first three verses direct the reader’s mind to the topics covered within the book. First comes the title, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” It is a book giving those things which the Father gave Jesus to reveal to His servants. The time of the fulfillment is “near.” By this statement, Jesus means that they are ready to be fulfilled, rather than when Jesus said that the things in Daniel were not immediate (Matt 24: 6). The only thing that was needed was the Father’s timing, as Jesus declared in Acts 1:6. John begins a prologue to the letters to the seven churches, proclaiming that the Second Coming is an imminent, although not immediate, event. Next, he details his vision of Christ and Him walking among the churches. First, he presents his commissioning by Christ to write (9-11). Next, he describes the source of his commission as he sees a vision of Christ.

Jesus is the Son of Man, related to His capacity as judge (John 5:22), as he begins by judging the churches in the next two chapters. He is “clothed down to the feet,” denoting dignity as that of a priest or other high-ranking official (Ezek 26:16). The golden girdle was worn by the divine messenger of Daniel 10:5 and foreshadows the judgments to come. His white hair denotes his longevity. The eyes, like a flame of fire, tell of his penetrating vision and omniscience. The feet of bronze speak of His purification of the churches. The sound of His voice is like that at Mt. Sinai, which identifies Him with God and with His power. His face shining as the sun comes from the song of Deborah in Judges 5:31. This part of the vision recalls what John saw on the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17:2. We are told that the lampstands are the churches and the stars are the angels (messengers) of the churches. The latter probably refers to prominent people who were entrusted with the word, and some, like Epaphras, were mentioned in Paul’s epistles (Col 4:12; Phm 23).

Before discussing the individual churches, it should be noted that they not only represent churches that existed within history, but also represent situations which exist within some churches throughout history. The message is for all generations and must not be limited to particular time periods.

The Seven Churches (Chapters 2 and 3)

Ephesus – The Loveless Church        

This church was very orthodox, meaning they had the right beliefs. They showed this with their works and the fact that they would not tolerate evil of any kind. They rejected false teachers so that they remained doctrinally pure. The doctrine of the Nicolaitans could not take root here. This doctrine taught that immoral deeds of the body did not affect the soul. Christians were free from any law. One could attend and participate in activities within pagan temples without affecting one’s salvation. Their leadership structure used manipulation to control those under them. For them, there were no ethical absolutes; therefore, holiness was not something that mattered.

With all their zeal for correct doctrine and behavior, they had allowed their love of God to dissipate. Doctrinal purity is an essential part of any church, but the love of God comes first. To allow anything to quench or diminish that love is to lose the power behind true spiritual worship. It is no wonder Christ threatens to remove the church if they do not repent. Not all Ephesians are this way, and they are promised to eat of the tree of life as in Genesis 2.

Smyrna – The Persecuted Church

This church is faithful until death. Christ has only words of encouragement for them. Here, he speaks of the “synagogue of Satan.” In Smyrna, one must burn incense to Caesar once a year in order to have a certificate that showed one’s loyalty. Christians did not have this, and the large Jewish population sought out Christians to turn them in to the authorities for martyrdom. Even the Romans were not as hostile as this group of Jews. These Jews were like those of John 8:31-47. They were physical descendants of Abraham, but did not believe in the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, as their Jewish Christian counterparts did. Their hearts were not circumcised, which went against the words of Moses (Deut 10:16) and is the sign of the true Jew (Rom 2:28). For Jesus to call them the synagogue of Satan is just another way of repeating what he said in John 8:44.

This church is promised life, and the second death of Revelation 20:14 will not harm them. This point is true of all who are in the first resurrection, which involves all overcomers.

The next three churches show a gradual degradation of the spiritual condition in each, from tolerance to acceptance. This story is the story of Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis.

Pergamum – The Tolerant Church

While this church continues to suffer as a witness to the faith in a manner similar to Smyrna, they tolerate false teachers. Jesus comes to them with the word of God. God knows where they “live,” meaning their stance concerning faith. He also knows where Satan’s throne is. This statement refers to the large temple erected to Caesar Augustus. While there were many idol temples in the city, the one erected to the worship of a person is the greater sacrilege. It typified Satan’s throne. The false teachers’ message is a stumbling block, as they teach both the doctrine of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. Jesus calls on them to repent and promises the overcomer the true manna, which is Jesus himself, a white stone that identifies the person as one who belongs to the kingdom and a new name which speaks of membership in the family of God.

Thyatira – The Compromising Church

Jesus presents himself as the one who comes to judge. This church is full of good works, but it elevates a false teacher, a “Jezebel,” to practice within the church and even accept her as a prophetess. Jesus gave her space to repent, but she refused. She and those who follow her will be judged. The rest who remain faithful receive the promise of rulership in the millennial kingdom for their steadfastness.

Sardis – The Dead Church

Jesus speaks to these people as the one with an unlimited anointing of the Holy Spirit. The church lives on past glories. Nevertheless, some spiritual vitality remains. He prompts them to wake up and receive the Spirit again, that they may live. He warns the others of His imminent return. For the spiritually dead there is condemnation, but to those who awake there is the promise of walking in white and retention of their place in the book of life. The latter guarantees them a place in heaven since the Second Death cannot hurt them (Rev 20:15).