Money is a funny thing.

I hope to get to writing again here, but not sure just what it will look like, I certainly will continue to"publish" my Revelation notes as blog entries in an appropriate chunks. But, I did get a laugh today when I logged on for the first time in over a year and saw who'd ad had showed up. While I do not endorse Scientology, I do not suppose that learning more about it can be all that bad, can it? Is it possible that the four or five people that have clicked over to the blog over the last few months were heavy into Scientology, or is it a masterful plan to convert anyone with a biblical reference on their blogs? While we're at it, anyone have any comments on BYU's strategy to leave athletic conferences so they can free themselves to play anyone and mission further?

The Churches -- Ephesus

If you're not one of the two following BoJ, or even if you are, you may want to revisit the November 7 post. Let's dive right in. Go ahead and read through Rev 2. A lot of the historical narrative comes from Barclay (1976), but it really hits home if you read the passage first.

Ephesus (v. 1–7)
Located along several trade routes, and located at the mouth of a river (Cayster River) in a fertile valley, Ephesus was a thriving city with a large population of Jews, and would have ranked third in importance as a Christian center (Jerusalem, Antioch) according to Poellot (1962). At that time, Ephesus was the greatest city in Asia-minor, trade routes from nearby river valleys and as far away as Mesopotamia converged at Ephesus and from the port at Ephesus, connected to the Mediterranean—Ephesus was the grand marketplace for the region. Known for its great theatre, and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Temple of Artemis (Artemis—Greek; Diana--Roman)—was the center of worship for Artemis. The temple contained many priestesses who were sacred prostitutes, and it also offered asylum for criminals—they were safe if they could reach it (Barclay, 1976). Also famous for the “Ephesian Letters”; which were amulets that were supposed to have powers for various concerns such as success or sickness (Barclay, 1976).

Not only was Ephesus wealthy, it was a “free” city within the Roman empire—meaning that it had reached a point where it’s services to the Empire were rewarded such that Ephesus was allowed to self-govern itself. About a quarter to half a million people lived there at its peak in the 1st and 2nd century A.D.

This was a place that fostered immorality, but yet, the Church triumphed. The Ephesus founded by Paul, as he stayed there longer than any other city, according to Barclay (1976), and probably wrote his letter to the Ephesians about 7 years after his stay there (Poellot, 1962). Paul warned them of false prophets (Acts 20:28-30), and here, we find it realized. Amongst others, John, Mary (mother of Jesus), Timothy (as bishop of Ephesus, he condemned some pagans during their Catagogion feast, he was beaten and died of his wounds in 97 A.D.), Apollos, a Tychicus (messenger for Paul) served in or from Ephesus (Poellot, 1962). The Christian message threatened both the Ephesians devotion to profit and idolatry (read Acts 19:23- 29).

Christ identifies that Ephesus, in many ways, is a model church, testing false prophets and proving them liars, but warns that its love for God grows cold.

What role does skepticism have in the church?
See 1 Thess 5: 19-22. Mark Buchanan in Your God is Too Safe proposes that God sends his truth to those who think strenuously (as he points out, we must all be skeptical “to look at closely, to scrutinize, to study with great care, and in minute detail").

Who are the Nicolaitans? They live contrary to the Christians and against their doctrine, thus “hate” the “works” or “practices” or “deeds (KJV)”. The Nicolaintans compromised with the pagans over public festivals and in many social and civic associations to maintain peace and public approval. The Greek phrase uses kratein, and given the sentence structure with its use, it means that Christ gripped the seven stars (or churches or Church) wholly within his hand (Barclay, 1976).

What may we make of this image?

Note that walks among the lampstands, not “attached” to a single church. Barclay ties this with the truth that Christ is there were ever there is a gathering in of God’s people.

What about “remove your lampstand from its place?”
Does this mean that God will remove his Spirit?

One possibility is that God is saying that he will remove the Church at Ephesus’ right to represent Him if they do not change, and continue to mingle incorrect worldly practices with in His name.

What does that say about modern-day Christians and Churches?
How does this fit with the earlier emphasis on the need for skepticism?

What of this “tree of life?” Here is a contrast. The Ephesians had a sacred date-palm tree of Artemis, they even had it on their coins. Not the palm, but the tree of life from heaven is important.

Today, Ephesus is nothing but ruins. The river silted up the Gulf of Ephesus (the city is now six miles from the sea, according to Barclay) and the city moved, not but a shell of its former self. Few Christians (or anyone) live there today. Even the Bishop of Ephesus hails from another city (Poellot, 1962).

So with all that said, what do you make of this historical interpretation of these passages? Clearly it makes sense if you believe that John was sending teachings to his Churches in Asia Minor. For me, as we shall see, these details and use of juxtapositions reveal that John clearly meant the message for these specific churches. This may be hard to take, but you'll see it over and over as we roll through the other six letters. But, as we will also see, just because a message is historical doesn't mean it lacks value.

The Sevenfold Spirit?

During our study, we came across several possibilities for this reference in Rev 1. It may appear as "sevenfold" or "seven spirits." First, a comment about the number symbology, or potential thereof.

The number seven (John uses it 54 times in Rev): theoretically symbolizing completeness through the reunion of God with his people and earth, as the number '3' symbolizes God, '4' for earth (or all creation, Brighton, 1999), 3+4 = 7. We'll run across this again: the four winds, for example. Seven is often used when God is dealing with men (Poellot, 1962). This book is a letter to seven churches in the Roman province called Asia (western Asia Minor; in what is present–day Turkey). So:

• The Holy Spirit? Poellot points out that indeed, Pentecost is not the first time in the Bible the Spirit shows up. From Isaiah 11:2: Spirit of the Lord 1) wisdom 2) understanding 3) counsel 4) power 5) knowledge 6) piety 7) fear (reverent respect) of the Lord. And, of course, seven was a number that indicated perfection/completeness. Isaiah 11:2 “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;” (ESV) It's interesting that one of my favorite translations, NET, boils the list down to wisdom, execute plans, and loyalty. That is, unless you read the translation notes, then it becomes: wisdom and understanding, counsel and strength, and knowledge and fear of the Lord. Maybe we're still missing one?
• Could it be an allusion to the seven archangels? There were 7 archangels (or presences) in Judaic tradition, they were the most illustrious servants of God, referred to as “the seven first white ones” (Enoch 90:21). However, Barclay (1976) points out that these are created beings, not God.
• What do YOU think?

The Shower Song

"Thank the Lord and Sing His Praise
Tell Everyone What He Has Done
Let All Who Seek the Lord Rejoice
And Proudly Bear His Name
He Recalls His Promises
And Leads His People Forth in Joy
With Shouts of Thanksgiving
HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH!!!"

If you do it every time you shower, you must know you'll be sorely disappointed at church. It'll be somber and slow.

Jamaal Street

I have started a second blog for my less um, err..., prophetic or um, Faith-based quips and whatnot. So, for the two of you reading this, if you're looking for random rants and stock tips, those are now at Jamaal Street. At least the less proph... Faith-based ones...

I fully plan something more interesting soon. Maybe. If you're good and nerdy.

My Twitter Blog (Why Twitter is Mostly Stupid)

7:15 AM: On the toilet

7:45 AM: I made tea

9:00 AM: Started out 1-hr free trial of online strategy game

10:00 AM: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

10:30 AM: Sliced and ate a grapefruit.

11:00 AM: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

11:50 AM: On the toilet Noon O'clock: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

1:00 PM: Went shopping with the wife

1:20 PM: DMV line at the mall is hours long just to get a number to wait. This is why it's worth taking a morning off of work--you walk in and walk out. I want to laugh at the suckers in line, but I also don't want to get murdered. These are mostly people who can't afford to take a day off of work, but maybe if they did the math they'd realize that 1 hour during the week means they'd get to WORK an entire Saturday.

2:00 PM: Waiting for wife to finish trying on clothes.

2:30 PM: Second round of waiting. I'm beginning to wish I had something to take care of at the DMV.

3:00 PM: Third time is the charm. The people in the DMV line are laughing at me.

3:30 PM: Done! Leaving the mall. Line at DMV is still hours long.

4:00 PM: Ordering pizza.

4:58 PM: Papa Johns is late.

5:03 PM: I get pizza satisfaction

6:00 PM: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

7:00 PM: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

8:00 PM: Started another 1-hr free trial after other one timed out

9:00 PM: Starting listening to the 2nd half of Nebraska basketball

10:00 PM: Nebraska wins. When you're the shortest team in the NCAA, a conference road win is welcome. Inch for inch, they just might be the best team in the NCAA. Which means... absolutely nothing. Except, perhaps, the coach is a good coach but bad recruiter.

10:45 PM: On the toilet.

10:50 PM: Some light reading.

11:30 PM: Need some beauty sleep before Supergame parties tomorrow. Sleepy time.

11:31 PM: My Twitter feed bashing is lost on the world.

Happy Belated New Year!

That's all. Not much more to say. Just waiting for the crush of people to over-run DC. Remember your TP and bottled water before the crazies get here!

Merry Christmas!

Let me take a moment here to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a... Happy New Year.

Be prosperous!

-J

All Powerful and Mysterious

Before we move on to the letters to the churches and into the visions of Revelation, it's helpful to get in one more round of preface.

John’s audience is likely one that is familiar with a class of Judaic literature known as “Apocalyptic.” Many Jews of the day believed that there were two “ages”: the present, which is bad and without redemption, and the second is God’s golden age, when his creation is perfect, and the time between the two ages is characterized by destruction. Apocalyptic literature deals with the sins of the present, the trials of the “time between,” and the promise of the golden age. It is composed of visions of the end times, and thus is cryptic because it is thought to be describing the indescribable (Barclay, 1976). Further, such literature was often written in times of oppression, and because of the Roman dominance during the time-period when Revelation was thought to be written, the literature had to be understood by its audience, but indecipherable to enemies. Revelation uses heavy Hebrew-text imagery and symbolism that had significance and was understood to those familiar with that literature. The style uses visions to symbolize future events, so direct literal interpretation visual cues can lead to trouble (Svigel, 2000). Other books of similar style were 1 Enoch, the Book of Jubilees, 4 Ezra, and Assumption of Moses, 2 Baruch, Apocalypse of Abraham, and the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, as well as Christian apocalypses such as Ascension of Isaiah, Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Peter, and the Apocalypse of Paul (Brighton, 1999).

Apocalyptic writing is theocentric, but Rev is definitely Christocentric. For Believers, Revelation is more than “literary meditation on prophetic themes” (Brighton, 1999). Revelation is thought to be the prophecy of Jesus (through John) where John uses apocalyptic themes as long as they follow Hebrew prophecy and lead to the Christ–centered , triumphant–God ideas of Revelation. There is also the question of whether or not apocalyptic writing is esoteric and tells of present and future secrets, or whether it is more prophetic, with the purpose of influencing change of the listener/reader. Some of it is a little of both, but Revelation is prophetic in that it comes from God who desires that all people repent and believe the teachings of Christ.

The writing is not necessarily chronological (Greek khronos: time that is measured sequentially, as describing events in order; as opposed to kairos: time in terms of circumstances, such as “time to harvest”—much of time in Rev is kairos). Each vision discusses a different aspect of the time from Jesus ministry on earth to his second coming, a kind of spiral effect. More on this later.

So, Revelation seems mysterious to us; the young reformer Martin Luther wrote, “My spirit cannot adapt itself to this book” he could not see the book expounding on the Christ’s earthly ministry although he accepted it as scripture––“…we can profit by this book and make good use of it”, and later said, “Christ is nonetheless with his saints, and wins the final victory” (Barclay, 1999). The danger is that the book can be confusing and some dismiss it as not find reason to study it, and others think they’ve discovered some secret explanation or concept—but every generation since the first century has come up with different interpretations of the prophecies.

Jamaal 1:1
"God is all-powerful. Keep that Faith, make sure He is your Lord, your Father, and persevere over the trials of this world, and everything will be OK as you join the Father in heaven for eternity. As long as you can keep your jerk itch under control..."

-J

Onesimus

So, after a rousing offline discussion last week that started to lead back to the theme, or one of, the BoJ, "Jerks can't go (be) to (in) heaven...*" we return our** focus to something a bit less controversial***. Something that is a common theme throughout the Bible.

Chapter one, verse 1 of the Revelation of John leads us to our first aside. "To show his servants."

WILLING SLAVES, NOT SERVANTS

“Servant” from Greek doulos “slaves.” The connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. The most accurate translation is “bond-servant” in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another (NET note). A slave no longer has a will of their own, their time and will belong to their master. We must surrender to God. People referred to as doulos, or the similar Hebrew ebedh, in the Bible include: Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, Moses, David, Elijah, and Paul, James, and Jude all proclaim themselves to be slaves of God (Titus 1, James 1, Jude 1).

What does this say about the greatest men in the Bible?

What about Onesimus? In Philemon (uh... Chapter 1... the only one), Paul sends Onesimus, a slave--presumably a bond servant, back to his master, Philemon, to whom he owes his servitude, and thus pay his debt. Paul sends Onesimus back to rectify his relationship with Philemon, and to receive forgiveness. Paul asks for Philemon to mark Onesiumus' debt as 'paid in full' by Paul. What metaphor does this remind us of? Do you think this is the message of Philemon? What is Paul doing?

See NET translation notes for more info on 'doulos.'
*Because, it wouldn't be heaven if jerks were there. Why do you think Jesus exhorts us the way he does, yo?
**The two of you reading this
***Slavery less controversial? Slow down Jamaal! But remember... focus on eternity here. (I don't want ya'll to think I'm pulling a Lou Holtz here.)

Pre-Introduction

OK. OK. OK. My memory isn't perfect and the joke goes further back than I remembered, but I'm going to completely forget that and hope those reading this, that would know better, will suspend disbelief until they forget. I'm also hoping that my mortgage company will trickle down a special deal for me so I get a piece of the pie and the Feds will forget.

I also recommend using several Bibles if indeed you're going to study Revelation; one that provides translation notes (NET is good), and another that you like.

A couple of other quick notes.

For some intro to the visual cues John uses it may be useful to read:

OT
Isaiah 62–66
Malachi 4
Daniel 12

NT
Matt 24–25
Acts 1:6-8

And if you're ready to dip your feet, try some non-canonical books like Enoch or Epistle of Barnabas, for examples. I wasn't going to go into the Quantum Physics yet, as I think people would liken me daft for jumping right into the possible extra-and-multi-dimensionalism of God just yet. It's not all blasphemous, I promise.

In the Beginning...

So, it shall begin.

After about five years of joking around, finally, I shall begin publishing the book (blog) that sarcastic friends have requested. To ease into the idea of a regularly-updated blog, I will begin by publishing topical rants that cover my notes for the study of the book of Revelation (aka "The Revelation of John"). The joke of my Jamaalian persona began when I facilitated this study the first time, so it's relevant that the "Book" begin its text here. Nobody wants to hear, “…and so in the third grade….”

Yes, yes, I know, I know. I typically see blogs as the rantings of people who, in the worldly sense, don't matter to the grand plans of important people and entities; and further, why should I care about their misinformed opinions? And yet, here I am. Oblivious and sarcastic as ever.

How did ‘Jamaal’ start? My best friend, now an award-winning reporter for a major affiliate in Nebraska, and I facilitated a Bible study at the world-famous University Lutheran Chapel at the grand ol' U. I have somewhat of a goofy intellectual view of things, that self-admittedly may be spuriously inaccurate; which, of course, never slows me down. So, a joking "prophetic" (tongue-in-cheek) name was given to me and my ramblings and Jamaalism was born.

The "Book" (BoJ) was a good example of an oft-used joke that became somewhat useful in the various discussions during the Revelation study. College can be an unnerving, intellectually-growing kairos for young adults, as students are forced to reconcile in their minds extremely opposing viewpoints pertaining to dogma, doctrine, and theology in the various flavors of the Christian faith. I was hoping to use the book of Revelation as a lens to show how, although as important they may seem, many of these are 'yes', 'yes' issues that merely depend upon which side of the lens you are viewing from. I used the idea of 'The Book of Life' discussed in Revelation, combined with parallels to the text of the Bible, to turn the BoJ into a positive concept. While not trying to be blasphemous, the comparison shows that many of the stories of the Bible are stories where God took very imperfect people and used them for His glorious purposes, even if they were warnings of 'what not to do.' Ahem. Sometimes I think we glorify some of these people, David is a good example, when really that's not the point at all. This blog is not for Jamaalian glory, although it may seem so when ‘it’ starts to pile up deep.

And so, we will move next to the introduction of Revelation, with sprinkled wild, off-tangent spicing. The literature review, which I used to help discussion along, contained large helpings of William Barclay's and Louis Brighton's commentaries that help us get some context and ideas to begin. The slant imposes a largely historical view, and a shockingly simple conclusion. But, as a lens, we went over hill and dale and back, covering topical theology and current events.

As a teaser, the Rev. Mark Heilman sent me a summary of 'Revelation' that's quite errr... um... relevant for today's world and understanding:

• There will be conflict until the end of time,
• However, God is in control and will bring it to an end in the final judgment,
• Until that time the Church is in mission, confident that God is in control.
  

Lastly, let me pre-empt the criticism of the idea of using Revelation as a 'lens' to view Faith, and the above summary that seems painfully simple. Remember we’re talking about Eternity. God views everything through the lens of Eternity.

God Speed and Stock to your Pantry.

-J