The Rapture Exposed--Week 3

Before the Judgment Seat of Christ

Recap: Presuppositions and Framework for Understanding—

Revelation written to bring hope for those who were suffering under the imperial oikumene of Rome (Ch. 2-3)
Christ the Lamb is the one who is worthy to open the seals and set into motion the events of the end times (Ch. 4-5)
Worship is sewn throughout… e. g., Rev. 11.15-19: Throne Room scene-- Declaration that the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his messiah, and he will reign forever.
Tale of Two Cities—Rome (Babylon) is destroyed along with the wicked in it; The New Jerusalem is the place to which God comes to dwell among mortals and wipe away every tear.

Lead-up to Rev. 20

Words of Encouragement to the faithful
Seals, Bowls, Plagues (including fire)
The Fall of Babylon (Rev. 18)
Rejoicing in Heaven (Rev. 19)
Rider on a White Horse (Rev. 19) (King of kings, Lord of lords) defeats the beast and his forces of evil
Satan bound for 1000 years and martyrs experience First Resurrection (Rev. 20)—Millenial Kingdom
Satan released, defeated, thrown into Lake of Fire (i.e., incapable of corrupting anymore!)

Signs and Symbols in Revelation

Scroll (in right hand of one on heavenly throne), sealed with 7 seals—only the Lamb is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. (Ch. 5)
Seven Seals (Ch. 6, 8)
White horse and rider (warfare)
Red horse and rider (death in battle)
Black horse and rider (famine)
Green horse and rider (Death and Hades—i.e., world of the dead)
Martyrs (white robe and rest)
Cosmic signs (darkened sun and moon, falling stars)

Seven trumpets for seven angels (ch. 8)

Ch. 7—digression on “seals”
Christians marked on foreheads
144,000 sealed; later the martyrs (14.5)

Signs and Symbols in Revelation

Seventh Seal is Seven Trumpets—eschatological divine judgments reminiscent of Egyptian plagues, but universal in effect
Hail and fire, mixed with blood
Fiery mountain hurled into the sea, 1/3 of which becomes blood, 1/3 sea creatures die, 1/3 ships destroyed
Star (wormwood)—fell on third of rivers
Third of sun, moon and stars darkened
Opening of bottomless pit
Release of four evil angels leading demonic armies—1/3 humankind killed
7th Trumpet—throne room scene (worship)

Seven Last Plagues

Seven bowls (cultic utensils used for libations)
Foul and painful sore upon the earth
Blood on the sea
Blood on the rivers
Scorching sun
Poured on throne of the beast (Roman cultic temple)
River Euphrates (Israel’s rival)
Into the air (It is done!)

The Turning Point

Christ rides forth as divine warrior on white horse
Satan thrown into pit for 1000 years
Martyrs are raised from the dead to be with Christ for 1000 years (millenial kingdom)
Satan is released to deceive again, then thrown into the Lake of Fire
The Dead are judged
Death and Hades are thrown into Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done.
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Before the Judgment Seat

Dualism of Rapture Theology would conlcude:
House of God is “up there” for believers
House of Death/War “down here” for unbelievers
War is the means of separating believer from unbeliever
Promotes fear and trembling
One’s humanity is nothing more than sum of good and evil deeds done, which will be judged.

Jurgen Moltmann (1926- )

German theologian
Drafted into German Army in 1944
Surrendered to first Allied soldier he saw
Met Christian pastors in POW camps
Professor at Tubingen University
Theology of Hope (1964)

Eschatology:

Not dualism of Rapture Theology
“life power of hope”—implies a present reality forming the future

Slippery Slope?
Scenario One:

You’d better get your act together now, or else!
Will your name be in the Book of Life?
In the hands of an angry God?

Why is it that the fear of “hell” is more powerful
than the hope of redemption?

Scenario Two:

Everyone is given the opportunity to choose in the end…
Do humans end up judging God in this scenario?
God’s role reduced to complying with human will?

Alternative Vision

Jesus Christ holds the keys to death and hell (1.20)
All must appear before the judgment seat
The verb for judging in Revelation is always predicated on a plural subject
What if we appear together—a social/collective experience

“Son of Man” seeks what was lost (dignity, life, wholeness)
Fire becomes symbol of Consuming Love of God in Christ Jesus (not final wrath)
God’s victory is a consummate one—God’s justice heals what was broken.

Before the Judgment Seat
Alternative View:

Nothing in Revelation says it is “individual”
Collective—
Different meaning to be “judged”
Ekrithesan (krinow)—can be passing sentence
But also “ensure justice is done”
God’s justice/righteousness is served here and it is comprehensive in nature
Victim and Perpetrator judged together
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa

Moltmann’s Eschatological Hope

If we expect catastrophic destruction at end, why care about the world now?
Our expectation of future informs our present reality
Expectation of ultimate reign of Christ
Time is different (so don’t get caught up in numbers)
Look forward to final judgment—brings God’s righteousness to all…victim and perpetrator are judged/healed/reconciled together.

Theology of Hope

If God acted in the past, is it reasonable to expect God can/will act in future?
The Eschaton is not the end point, but the point from which all else flows…born in hope for a better way.
Alternative to the imperial way.
The Resurrection of Christ is not so much an historical event as it is THE event which finds its full meaning in the future.
Future fulfillment is for all creation, not just humans (Behold, I make all things new)

Next Week: The Grand Finale
The River of Life
Healing and Hope for All