PATTERN OF SOUND WORDS

Tag: Revelation

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Revelation 14:1–5 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Epistle Reading of the Feast of the Holy Innocents, Revelation 14:1–5, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    I. An assurance for the elect here on earth. (v. 1–5)

    Annotated Text

    1. And I saw a Lamb standing on Mount Zion (this Lamb signifies Christ, Revelation 5:6, who lets Himself be seen here on Mount Zion, by which the Christian Church is understood, which was prefigured in the Old Testament by Mount Zion, on which the city of David was built, Psalm 2:6; Zechariah 9:9; Hebrews 12:22. So that no one may think that no true Church remained anymore under such universal seduction of the Antichrist, the Lamb of God allows Himself to be seen here on Mount Zion to indicate that Christ preserved a Church for Himself even under the antichristian persecution and deception, and support it with His gracious presence. Luther: “Here He comforts Christians that such woe and abomination shall be overthrown through the Gospel.”), and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand (by this a great host of the true believers  of every age and estate is signified, whom God has preserved in His grace and truth under the Antichrist), who had the name of their Father written on their forehead. (This is set forth against the mark of the beast which the Antichrist give upon the forehead to those who confess themselves to his kingdom, Revelation 13:16, and thereby is signified that although the Antichrist rages and rampages, nevertheless the first foundation of God stands and has this seal: “The Lord knows His own,” 2 Timothy 2:19, so truly as if He had made a mark upon their foreheads, Revelation 7:3; these also bear the name of the heavenly Father upon their foreheads in such a manner that they are not ashamed of the Gospel, Romans 1:16, but rather confess it boldly.)

    2. And I heard * a voice from heaven, as of a great (rushing) water (by which is signified the great host of the elect who praise God), and as a voice of great thunder (by which is signified the wondrous power of the Spirit, with which the elect are clothed form on high, Luke 24:49, as also the undaunted courage and the piercing voice of those who praise God); and the voice which I heard was as harpists playing upon their harps (by which there is prefigured the loveliness of the divine praise in the mouth of the elect, and at the same time, with an eye toward the royal prophet David, who praised God upon his harp with lovely Psalms, 1 Samuel 16:23; Psalm 43:4; Psalm 71:22; likewise, that they serve and praise their God in quietness without a great racket).

    * Revelation 1:15 (5:8, 15:2)

    3. And they sang as * a new song before the throne (of the Lamb), and before the four creatures and the (twenty-four) elders (Because the antichristian rout worships the Beast and blasphemes God, Revelation 13:5, 6, 8; meanwhile, these sing to God the Lord a new song, by which is understood a lovely and glorious song concerning the great benefits that Christ bestows upon the elect in the New Testament and renews them through His Spirit); and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth (who were purchased by Christ through His blood, 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18–19, so that they should no longer hang on to earthly things through disordered love, but rather should dwell in heaven with their mind; who also with true faith appropriate to themselves this redemption which has happened through Christ. These alone have been able to learn and sing this song, for without true faith in Christ, no one can rightly call upon God or praise Him, Romans 10:14; 1 Corinthians 12:3. Also it is hereby signified that only those who are true disciples of the Gospel, who have been purchased from earthly things, are eager to learn this new song.).

    * Revelation 5:9 (4:5, 7:4; Psalm 96:1; Proverbs 2:6; Ephesians 1:17ff.)

    4. These are those who are not tarnished with women (who have not defiled themselves through spiritual adultery and harlotry, that is, through idolatry, heresy, and false worship, but rather have maintained the purity of doctrine undefiled); for they are virgins (thereby is signified the virginity of faith, of which the holy apostles speaks in this way to the Corinthians, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I might bring you to Christ as a pure virgin,” 2 Corinthians 11:2; likewise, thereby is signified the purity of a godly walk to which true believers diligently apply themselves), and they follow the Lamb wherever He goes1 (as His beloved entrusted Bride, they walk in the footsteps of His holy life, Matthew 16:24, and they do not yield back when the Lam leads them through the thorns of tribulation to the roses of heavenly glory and majesty, Acts 14:22. Therefore, they will also be with Him in eternal joy, John 17:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:17.). They are * those purchased from men to be firstfruits of God and the Lamb (God has elected them from eternity in Christ to be His firstfruits, and in the fullness of time “He has begotten them according to His will through the Word of truth, so that they would be first fruits of His creatures,” James 1:18. They are consecrated to God the Lord, just as in the Old Testament the firstfruits were consecrated to Him, in whom Christ, the only High Priest of the New Testament takes pleasure, just as the offering of the firstfruits in the Old Testament was pleasing to God).

    * Revelation 5:9 (3:4; 1 Corinthians 6:20)

    1 Greek: “For (true) virgins (chaste and pure souls who love God, Matthew 5:8) are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (who hold fast only to Christ’s Word).” [παρθένοι γάρ εἰσιν, οὗτοι οἱ ἀκολουθοῦντες τῷ ἀρνίῳ ὅπου ἄν ὑπάγῃ] Thus, the saying here is not about abstention from marriage.

    5. And in their mouth is found nothing false (in which they also follow the Lamb in other ways, Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22); for they are irreproachable before the throne of God. (“They have washed their garments and made them bright in the blood of the Lamb,” Revelation 7:14, and they diligently apply themselves to a blameless walk, 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 2:15; 2 Peter 3:14. What they believe from the heart they also confess with the mouth [Romans 10:10], and how they present themselves with words, they also prove with their works [James 2:18]. They are no hypocrites that they should ascribe to themselves the praise of their own perfect righteousness, rather, they confess their weakness and imperfection, and they comfort themselves in this, that one day they will be entirely perfect and without all sin before the throne of God in eternal life, Ephesians 5:27.)

    (Psalm 32:2; Zephaniah 3:13; Ephesians 5:27)

    Useful Applications

    I. DOCTINE: Those who hereafter want to follow the Lamb of God into eternal life wherever He goes, that is, those who want to be with Christ eternally and remain with Him, they must diligently attend to the purity of faith and Christian life (as virgins). (v. 4)

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Revelation 14:6–7 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the First Reading for the Commemoration of the Lutheran Reformation (Reformation Day), Revelation 14:6–7, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    II. Warnings and Admonitions for pure church servants and true confessors against the Antichrist. (v. 6–13)

    Annotated Text

    6. And I saw an * angel ** flying in the midst of the heavens (because God the Lord not only raised up several faithful teachers during the continuous reign of the Antichrist who rebuked the antichristian abominations and admonished men to repentance and conversion, but also at the appointed time revealed the Antichrist and attacked his kingdom with power; as various angels are introduced, of whom the first flies through the midst of heaven, thereby is indicate the swift course of the Gospel, that after the revealing of the Antichrist, God the Lord will cause the Gospel to resound in a short time among all kinds of peoples, that He will also cause the Gospel to be preached publicly and without timidity against the Antichrist, from which it man then be easily inferred that by this angel the blessèd instrument whose ministry God the Lord especially used for the revelation of the Antichrist and the assault of his kingdom is signified, namely, the blessèd Luther), *** who had an eternal Gospel (he did not preach human statutes, but rather the pure Gospel, which is called eternal because that which is proclaimed therein was determined in the counsel of God from eternity and revealed soon after the beginning of the world [Genesis 3:15]; because the Gospel proclaims and sets before us eternal heavenly goods, it will remain in **** eternity, and cannot be suppressed by any power of the enemies), to proclaim to those who sit and dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and race, and language, and people (that no one may be able to excuse himself with ignorance),

    * Revelation 8:13 (Isaiah 55:3; Ezekiel 16:60; Daniel 9:24; Hebrews 5:9)

    ** Greek: Alternatively, “another angel”

    *** Others understand only Luther by the third angel, and under the preceding angels Peter Waldo [AD 1140–1218] and Jan Hus [AD 1369–1415].

    **** Not as though the Gospel ought to be preached eternally, even to the damned, and be of benefit to them, but rather [it will remain eternally] with respect to its fruit, which the children of God shall enjoy forever, just as the priesthood and redemption of Christ are also called eternal (Hebrews 9:12).

    7. and he said with a great voice, “Fear God (not the Antichrist and his human statutes), and * give Him the honor (that He alone is your Savior and Redeemer, and that you cannot be saved through the merit of your works); for the time of His judgement is come (on which day each must give an account for his faith and doings), and pray to Him (neither the mute idols, nor the dead saints, but God alone) who (is the true God) ** who made heaven and earth, the sea, and the springs of water.

    * Deuteronomy 32:3

    ** Acts 14:15ff. (Acts 4:24)

    Useful Applications

    [There are no applications listed for v. 6–7 in the text. AJB]

  • Notes and Useful Applications for Revelation 12:7–12 from Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877)

    The following is my translation of the notes and useful applications for the Second Reading for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, Revelation 12:7–12, as they are found in Das Weimarische Bibelwerk (1877). Square brackets indicate my own notes and additions. For the useful applications, I recommend the reader see this very helpful article by Dr. Benjamin T. G. Mayes.

    Notes

    II. The Beginning of the Fourth Vision, in which two opposing parties are described, who have strong enmity against one another: the woman and the dragon; likewise, Michael and His angels on one side, and the dragon together with his angels on the other side. v. 19, 1–17.

    7. And there was a fight in heaven (in the Church-heaven here on earth; for after the devil, on account of his fall, has been cast out of the heaven of eternal glory, he may not come back into it again): * Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought (This Michael is God’s Son, as it is explained in v. 10; He is, among other things, also called an angel for this reason, because in the protection of the Church, He carries out the office of an angel; otherwise, Michael is also the name of an archangel, Jude 9. But here Christ, the Son of God, is meant by this name, who is of one essence, one power, and one glory with God, His heavenly Father; for Michael means ‘Who is like God?’ And with this name the Holy Spirit directs us to the last chapter of the prophet Daniel, where it is proclaimed that in the last times, the great prince Michael shall arise, who stands for the holy people, Daniel 12:1. For since the dragon wants to attack the woman, that is, the true Church and the members of the spiritual body of Christ, so Christ takes His Church to Himself, and fights with His angels, by which not only the holy spirits in heaven are understood, but also all faithful teachers and preachers, against the dragon and his angels, by which not only the evil spirits who joined themselves to the devil and fell away from God are understood, but also the persecutors, the heretics, and all the scales of the hellish dragon). **

    * Daniel 10:13, 21; 12:1.

    ** And: This battle is without doubt the blessed Reformation. If it were about the freedom of the Christian Church after the heathen persecutions [i.e., the legalization of Christianity in the Fourth Century], then one would have to seek it in the wars of Constantine the Great with Licinius, Maxentius, and so on.

    8. And they did not win (for how could the devil overcome Christ, who is the power of God, 1 Corinthians 1:24? “The prince of this world is coming, and he has nothing in me,” says Christ to HIs disciples, John 14:30); also there was no more found to be a place for them in heaven (they were put to flight and cast out of heaven).

    9. And the great dragon was cast out *, the old serpent (the evil enemy, who deceived our first parents through the serpent, Genesis 3:1, and has practiced his cunning and wickedness for a long time), who is called the Devil (the accuser, because he slanders God before men, Genesis 3:5, men before God, Job 1:9, and men against other men) and Satan (the adversary, because he is the enemy of God and men), who deceives the entire world (through his cunning and lies he deceives all those who allow themselves to be led by the spirit of the world, 1 Corinthians 2:12); and he was cast ** to the earth (by these words refers to the curse which God, after the fall of our first parents, pronounced upon the serpent: “Upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life,” Genesis 3:14), and his angels were also *** cast out at that time (By this casting out of the devil from heaven it is signified that, after Christ through His death and resurrection had overcome the devil and taken power from him, Hebrews 2:14, He then, after His victorious resurrection, in which He stripped the principalities and the powers and made a show of them openly, and made a triumph out of them through Himself, Colossians 2:15, and after He sat down at the right hand of God, caused such obtained victory to be proclaimed in all the world, whereby the devil everywhere is driven out and trodden under the feet of the believers, Romans 16:20. “I saw Satan fall from heaven as lightning,” says Christ, Luke 10:18. Afterward, this overcoming and casting out took place at the time of Emperor Constantine the Great [in the Fourth Century], when the great persecutions ceased and peace was grated to the Church. In particular, this conflict and victory against the hellish dragon refers to our last times, when the kingdom of the antichrist and the doctrine of devils is attacked through the preaching of the Gospel, 1 Timothy 4:1, and are driven out of the Church-heaven; and this casting out will only fully happen on the Last Day, in which the dragon with his angels will be cast into the hellish pool, Revelation 20:14).

    * Luke 10:18; John 12:31 (Revelation 20:2; Zechariah 3:1)

    ** Greek: “(Indeed), he was cast out,” or, “He was (I say) cast out”

    *** Greek: “with him”

    10. And I heard a great voice, which spoke in heaven, * “Now is the salvation, and the strength, and the kingdom, and the power of our God, His Christ ** (This is the triumph song and rejoicing of the true believers over this victory of the great prince Michael against the dragon, who in the same fight proved Himself to be an invincible hero and savior of His Church), because the accuser of our brethren has been cast out, *** who accuses them before God day and night.

    * Revelation 11:15 (Job 1:9, 2:5; Zechariah 3:1)

    ** Greek: “Now has come (in powerful demonstrate made known and been revealed) the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the glory of His Christ (Anointed One).”

    *** Greek: “is cast out (hurled down).”

    11. And they * (the believers) have overcome ** him through the Lamb’s blood (because they firmly believed that Christ, through His suffering and the shedding of HIs blood, had overcome the devil for their good, and they set this victory in true faith against the devil’s accusation), and by the Word of their testimony *** (in that they remained steadfast in the confession of the Gospel, which is the testimony concerning Christ); and they have not loved their life even to death (their life was not so dear to them that in order to preserve it they would have denied Christ and His Word).

    * Greek: “Also they themselves”

    ** Romans 8:37 (v. 17)

    *** Concerning this, see Revelation 11:3.

    12. Therefore *, rejoice you, you heaven, and those who dwell therein (all believers and elect of God, whose names are written in heaven, Luke 10:20, whose citizenship is in heaven, Philippians 3:20). But woe to those who dwell on the earth and on the sea (those who are minded toward earthly things, Philippians 3:19, who love the world and what is in the world, 1 John 2:15, since everything that is in the world, such as honor, riches, pleasure, power, etc., is unstable as the sea), for the devil has come down to you, and he has great wrath, and he knows that he has little time (because the time of the Judgement Day is near, in which he is to be cast into the hellish pool and will no longer exercise his malice upon the earth).

    * Psalm 96:11

    Useful Applications

    II. COMFORT: That Christ Himself (who is signified by Michael) faithfully takes care of His believers in the militant church on earth and powerfully protects them against the devil and the antichrist, is depicted in this vision, v. 7–9.