Program 285
The Promise of Revelation

Although the book of Revelation was written for first-century believers, it contains tremendous encouragement for believers today.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of WLC Radio Ministry, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: When I was a little boy, I loved hearing about the Second Coming. Don’t get me wrong: I hated hearing about everything I was told would happen before Christ’s return: the thought of being “left behind” after the “secret rapture” horrified me. The “Great Tribulation” terrified me. But the Savior’s actual return? I loved hearing about that. At Sunday School, the Bible story felts had one of Yahushua sitting on a cloud surrounded by angels. Some enterprising teacher had embellished it with glitter. It was beautiful! I loved looking at different paintings of how various artists envisioned his return. Always, Christ was pictured sitting on a sun-bright cloud, surrounded by angels. It was a promise that Yahushua was coming back and I couldn’t wait.

Hi, I’m Miles Robey and you’re listening to World’s Last Chance Radio where we cover a variety of topics related to Scripture, prophecy, practical piety, Biblical beliefs, and living in constant readiness for the Savior’s unexpected return.

Because I’ve always loved picturing Christ’s return in the “clouds of Heaven,” I was more than a bit surprised recently when Dave Wright shared with me that the phrase “coming with the clouds” is actually a symbol that is repeated several times in both the Old and the New Testaments. Today, we’ll be looking at what that phrase means in the context of Revelation 1 and the promise inherit in this phrase.

Later, during our Daily Mailbag segment, Dave will answer the question of what Christ meant when he said that if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away because it’s better to be maimed then to end up in hell. Since Scripture does not teach an ever-burning hell, just what did Christ mean when he said that? Then Jane Lamb has a special promise for anyone struggling to heal after trauma.

For now, let’s dive into today’s study. Dave? It seems we’re always symbolizing what should be taken literally, and literalizing what Yahuwah intends for us to understand symbolically. Is this what’s happening here? Is Yahushua not going to return as artists have pictured him?

Dave Wright: I’m not saying Yahushua will not come in the clouds. We know he, and all the holy angels, will be coming to earth. As far as our human imagination can grasp, I see no evidence for suggesting he’ll return in some other manner.

That said, there is a deeper meaning to this phrase, “coming with the clouds.”

Miles: Soooo … when we’re studying Scripture, how are we to know whether to interpret the phrase literally or symbolically?

Dave: Context. When you’re studying Scripture, context always matters. Today, we’re going to be looking at that phrase as it appears in Revelation chapter 1. Now, Revelation is actually a letter. It’s a massively long letter, but it’s still just a letter and it opens in the typical style of a first-century letter.

Would you please turn to Revelation 1 and read the first three verses? These verses are important because they give us the outline we’re to use to interpret the rest of the book.

Miles:

The revelation from Yahushua Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Yahushua Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Dave: The first thing we learn is that this book reveals what has been hidden. It’s a revelation. This is an interesting dichotomy because while this book reveals what’s been hidden, it is itself written in symbols. This is significant because symbols let us know we’re dealing with a literal fulfillment of an historic event. It’s important, then, to understand what the symbols are pointing to and not get focused on the symbol itself.

Miles: Which I’ve done before!

Dave: Me, too! I think we all have, not understanding that Revelation deals primarily with something that’s already occurred.

The third thing the opening verses emphasize is that the book warns of events that “must soon take place.” This is an important point. It’s not pointing to some event over 2,000 years in the future to when the revelation was given. It’s a warning of something dire in the near future of its first-century audience.

So, we have to look for an event that hadn’t happened at the time the book was written but did shortly afterward. And, as covered in other programs, we find that event in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Now. Verse 4 is one we typically skip over, but this is surprisingly important. Would you read that for us?

Miles: “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace—"

Dave: That’s good.

In typical first-century style, the letter opens with a statement of who is sending the letter, followed by to whom it’s addressed, and then a greeting. We see this same format in Paul’s letters.

Miles: It’s a mighty long letter!

Dave: He wanted to make the cost of sending it worth his time!

But seriously, this is an important point because, knowing the recipient, we can know that these churches are literal.

I know! I know! A lot of Christians say the seven churches are symbolic of seven different epochs in Church history. I used to believe that myself.

Miles: Yeah, me, too.

Dave: But that’s incorrect. Knowing the seven literal churches are the intended audience for this letter lets us know that we’re not to symbolize the churches. They’re literal.

Miles: That makes sense. A lot of mistakes are made when we try to symbolize something that’s to be taken literally.

Dave: Or literalize something that’s symbolic. Either way will steer you wrong.

All right. Let’s keep going. Read the rest of verse 4 and verses 5 and 6.

Miles:

Grace and peace to you from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, and from Yahushua Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Dave: There are a lot of fascinating details in this greeting. The being who “is, and who was, and who is to come,” is clearly a reference to Yahuwah. Yahushua is not God because Yahuwah is referred to in verse 6 as Yahushua’s God. Yahushua himself has a God, and that’s Yahuwah.

Miles: I’ve noticed a similar theme in the salutations in Paul’s letters: “Grace to you and peace.” What a beautiful way to greet someone! Wishing Yahuwah’s blessings on them.

Who are the “seven spirits,” though? That’s kind of confusing.

Dave: I believe this is a reference to the Holy Spirit. Not only does the reference to the seven spirits come directly after mentioning the Father, and right before mentioning the son, but because every blessing—and this opening salutation is pronouncing a blessing on the reader—every blessing is fulfilled because of Yahuwah. We can’t, in our human might, create “blessings.” These are gifts received from a divine source.

Miles: That makes sense. But why seven? Why not just call it the Holy Spirit?

Dave: There are two reasons for this. The first is that seven is symbolic of perfection.

The original week had seven days. Yahuwah’s promise to ancient Israel was a sevenfold promise. When Joshua marched around Jericho, they did it for seven days, and on the seventh day, they marched around seven times.

Here in Revelation, we find this symbol used a lot. Besides the seven spirits of God, there are the seven churches, seven bowls, seven lampstands, seven angels, seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets.

Miles: Seven thunders.

Dave: That, too. So the message this symbol always conveys is that this is perfection. It’s often linked to divine justice, because Yahuwah’s justice is perfectly satisfied.

There’s another reason, though, and this one’s especially fascinating. Turn to Zechariah chapter 4.

Revelation is a book of symbols, but what cracks the code is realizing that these symbols appear in other passages of Scripture! When you can find an Old Testament passage that reflects the same use of symbols, you can compare the two and both passages just spring to life.

Read verses 2 and 10 of Zechariah 4. We’ll get into more later, but for now, just read those two verses.

Miles: All right. Verse 2 says:

He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps.

Dave: So we have here seven lamps with seven tubes, channeling oil to the lamps. What does verse 10 say?

Miles: “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of Yahuwah that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

Dave: It’s not saying that the Almighty literally has seven eyes like a fruit fly. This symbolizes that He has perfect vision. He sees and understands everything with perfect wisdom. This is a reference to Yahuwah’s omniscience, and it’s symbolized by the number 7.

Okay. We’ll get back to Zechariah later. For now, read verse 5 of Revelation 1 again. John gives us several descriptions of Yahushua I want to look at.

Miles: Ahhh … He is “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”

Dave: Turn now to Psalm 89. Read verse 27.

Miles: “And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.”

Dave: This is the description of Christ given in Revelation 1:5. This is why he’s “king of kings.”

Okay. Drop down now to verses 35 to 37.

Miles:

Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”

Dave: David’s line continues forever through the Messiah who is likened to the moon as a “faithful witness.” These are the same words used in Revelation 1.

Miles: All books really do end in the book of Revelation, don’t they?

Dave: They really do. John was writing to an audience that knew the Old Testament Scriptures. It was a dangerous time to send correspondence that referred to the Roman authorities. By developing themes first introduced in the Old Testament, he could send his message safely.

But more than that, by referencing the symbols contained in Psalm 89, John shows that the promises made to David have been fulfilled in Christ. Furthermore, and this is just as important, this reference lays the groundwork for the rest of Revelation.

Miles: How so?

Dave: Except for the last couple of chapters, the majority of Revelation is a warning against the impending destruction of Jerusalem when the weight of the Roman Empire crushed for a final time the on-going resistance and rebellions of the Jews. So, a glance back to the promises in Psalm 89 sets the stage for a conflict between Yahushua, the exalted seed of David, and earthly rulers. It is an encouraging comparison because it shows that Yahuwah’s promises do get fulfilled. Yahushua is in charge, and he’s ruling from the throne of Yahuwah. He has all power, even when the rulers of this earth do things that cause suffering for believers.

Miles: “God’s in His heaven—all’s right with the world!”

Dave: Exactly.

The destruction of Jerusalem was so terrible, the numbers of lives lost, the suffering—even though no believers lost their lives, there was still immense suffering—all of that was so horrific, that a book written to warn believers about the coming catastrophe opens with a reminder of Yahuwah’s love and watch care.

Miles: That’s beautiful.

Dave: That’s why, in verses 5 and 6, we have a statement praising Yahushua. It was his love for us that led him to sacrifice his own life. And no amount of suffering on earth will ever change his undying love for us.

Verse 6 says Yahushua has “made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.” This means we’re citizens of his kingdom! Do you think he’s really going to take the abuse against his citizens sitting down?

Miles: Absolutely not. Being citizens of Yahushua’s kingdom really is a protection for believers, isn’t it?

Dave: It is! It’s a gift.

Miles: I like that: it’s a gift. And being a kingdom of priests unto Yah is itself another gift. In a very real way, it gives us immediate and direct access to Yahuwah. It gives us priestly access to Him.

That’s beautiful.

We’re going to take a quick break, but don’t go away. Our breaks are always very short. We’ll be right back.

* * *

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* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Dave: All right. Let’s keep going in Revelation 1. We’ve now come to verse 7. This verse is heavy with symbolic meaning. And it is symbolic, but not realizing that we’ve literalized it. Go ahead and read verse 7 and then we’ll decipher the symbols.

Miles:

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

This is symbolic?? I always thought this referred to Christ’s literal return.

Dave: It could. I mean, at some point Yahushua’s going to return and we’ll see him. But the context—given in the book of Revelation which is a warning of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE—lets us know that this has a symbolic meaning.

Miles: What is it? I’m not seeing what the symbol is; it all sounds literal to me.

Dave: “Coming with clouds” is what has symbolic meaning. It’s symbolic of judgment. A passage that has a close correlation to this one is Daniel 7. So, keep your finger in Revelation 1, but let’s go to Daniel 7. Would you please read verses 13 and 14?

Miles:

I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought him near before Him.
Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And his kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.

Dave: “Son of Man,” as you know, was Yahushua’s favorite way to refer to himself. It comes from the Aramaic phrase, bar enash. It literally means “human being.” Daniel is shown Yahushua being enthroned. This happened when he ascended to Heaven after his resurrection. Everyone is to serve Yahushua.

“Coming with the clouds” is a phrase that’s always linked to judgment coming upon his enemies.

I can see you’re looking rather skeptical! We’ll look at a few passages and you’ll see what I mean. Let’s start with Jeremiah 4:13. This isn’t a passage about the Second Coming. This is Jeremiah warning Judah that its fall to the Babylonians will be Yahuwah’s judgment against them for idolatry. Go ahead.

Miles:

Behold, he shall come up like clouds,
And his chariots like a whirlwind.
His horses are swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, for we are plundered!

Dave: Turn now to Zephaniah 1 and read verses 14 to 16.

Miles:

The great day of Yahuwah is near;
It is near and hastens quickly.
The noise of the day of Yahuwah is bitter;
There the mighty men shall cry out.
That day is a day of wrath,
A day of trouble and distress,
A day of devastation and desolation,
A day of darkness and gloominess,
A day of clouds and thick darkness,
A day of trumpet and alarm
Against the fortified cities
And against the high towers.

Dave: Sounds like a prophecy we’d say is about the end of the world, but what this literally is, is a prophecy of judgment against Judah for its continued rebellion against Yahuwah. Read the next verse. Verse 17 puts what you just read in context.

Miles:

I will bring distress upon men,
And they shall walk like blind men,
Because they have sinned against Yahuwah;
Their blood shall be poured out like dust,
And their flesh like refuse.

Dave: Why is this distress being brought?

Miles: Because they’ve sinned against Yahuwah.

Dave: Correct. So, judgment is brought against them. This is symbolized in verse 15 where it describes the day of judgment as “A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.”

Let’s look next at Ezekiel 30. Again, this sounds like Second Coming language, but it’s not. This is actually a prophecy of judgment coming against Egypt.

Read verses 2 and 3, please.

Miles:

Son of man, prophesy and say: This is what the Sovereign Yahuwah says:

Wail and say,
Alas for that day!
For the day is near,
the day of Yahuwah is near—
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.

Dave: We haven’t understood the imagery of judgment. Coming with clouds is a symbol of national judgment. It’s saying that, even though Yahuwah’s judgment may linger, giving everyone a chance to repent, eventually it will come and when it does, there will be no escape.

But we haven’t understood that. So, we’ve taken a symbol and literalized it. This same symbol appears in the New Testament when Yahushua speaks of judgment coming upon Israel.

Turn to Matthew 24. Here again, Christians have assumed—I’ve assumed—that this chapter had a dual application to both the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century and what I thought would be signs of Yahushua’s return before the Second Coming. But as we’ve since learned, Matthew 24 is primarily focused on the destruction of Jerusalem. What little he says about his return is to simply say, “Stay ready, because there will be no warning signs. My return is going to take you by surprise.”

Miles: Even believers.

Dave: That’s right.

Read verses 29 to 31.

Miles:

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Dave: We’ve assumed this was a description of Christ’s Second Coming, but it’s not. It’s still talking about the judgment coming upon Jerusalem because after this, in verse 34, Christ says, “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”

Another place Yahushua used this symbol was at his trial. This was just a few days after his discussion in Matthew 24 where he warned them of the judgment that would come on Jerusalem.

Turn to Matthew 26 and read verses 62 to 64.

Miles:

Then the high priest stood up and said to Yahushua, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Yahushua remained silent.

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”

“You have said so,” Yahushua replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Dave: He’s not talking about his return. He’s saying that judgment will come upon the entire nation because of their rejection of him, the Messiah. And you better believe they understood what he was saying! These 71 elders were the most well-educated men in all of Israel. Tradition says that, in order to even be considered for the office of the Sanhedrin, by age 12 they had to have all of the books of Moses memorized.

Miles: Wow.

Dave: They understood this symbol and that judgment was going to come upon them for rejecting the Messiah.

All right. The rest of Revelation 1 verse 7 is an allusion to Zechariah 12 verse 10 through Zechariah 13 verse 1. I wish we had time to read all of it, but we don’t, so just read verse 10.

Miles: Okay, ummm …

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Dave: I find this verse interesting because Yahuwah’s saying He’ll pour out a spirit of grace and supplication on the Jews. Other translations say “grace and mercy.”

The Jews are mourning. Why? Because they finally realize they pierced the long-awaited Messiah! Grace and supplication, or mercy, are poured out upon them so that they can repent. It’s a tremendous gift. And it has an effect. Read Zechariah 13 verse one now.

Miles: “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”

Dave: This is what Yahuwah’s judgments are always intended to do: bring sinners to repentance. The phrase, “those who pierced him” is a clear reference to the Jews who, as a nation, were responsible for Christ’s death. They will be given a chance to repent, and many will do so.

Okay. Turn back to Matthew 24. In verse 30, you read how “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” when they “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” He’s still talking about the judgment coming on Israel because he doesn’t transition to talking about his return until verse 36 when he says there will be no signs!

The context for verse 30 is given in verses 1 to 3. Would you read those, please?

Miles:

Then Yahushua went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. And Yahushua said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Dave: So right away, we see that this chapter is going to be a discussion of judgment brought to bear on the Jewish nation that would culminate in the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

Miles: Even when it talks about the sun and moon being darkened? To me, that’s always Great Tribulation talk.

Dave: Yes, because we’ve assumed that this applied to the Second Coming, but it doesn’t that’s not end-of-the-world talk. That’s judgment’s-coming-upon-your-nation talk.

Miles: What about verse 31? It says: “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”

Dave: That echoes the same message we read in Revelation 1:7 and Zechariah 12:10 to 14. It’s a call to repentance that many souls will answer.

Go back to Revelation 1 and read verse 7 again. There’s one little detail here that Zechariah and Matthew don’t include. Let’s see if you can find it.

Miles: Uhhh …

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.

Um. “Every eye will see him”?

Dave: Yes! Christians have long speculated just how every eye will physically be able to see Christ coming to a spinning globe earth. But that’s not what this is talking about. Again, this is talking about judgment. Saying that every eye shall see him is saying that no one is exempt from being judged. Everyone is going to be judged.

This is key to the book of Revelation. Just as everyone then was judged, everyone in the entire world will also be judged. The fact that Yahuwah, in His mercy, calls people to repentance first, is crucial because it means that those who reject that invitation are left without excuse. And we see that in Revelation.

Would you please read Revelation 9 verses 20 and 21:

Miles:

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Dave: And Revelation 16 verses 9 to 11.

Miles:

They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of Yahuwah who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Dave: Not everyone will repent. That’s the sad truth of it. But the beautiful promise of Revelation is that Yahuwah wants to save everyone. He sends out an invitation to repent, promising that He will accept all who come to Him.

The last part of John’s opening salutation is verse 8. Would you read that, please?

Miles: “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says Yahuwah Elohim, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’”

Dave: Alpha, of course, is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and omega is the last. Yahuwah is saying he’s the A and the Z; the beginning and the end. He’s in control. No matter what happens on earth, He’s in control. And He has the power to accept and forgive all who turn to Him in repentance.

Miles: Amen!

Coming up: Our daily mailbag. Stay tuned.

* * *

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

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* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Today’s question from our Daily Mailbag is coming from … the Country of Eternal Spring.

Dave: Ecuador!

Miles: Nope! That’s Land of Eternal Spring. I’m looking for the Country of Eternal Spring.

Dave: Oh. Uh … Peru? Colombia? Venezuela? Brazil?

Miles laughs: Just going to name all the countries near Ecuador, are you? It’s Colombia. Home of the world’s tallest palm tree. The Quindío wax palm can get up to a jaw-dropping 200 feet tall. That’s 60 meters tall!

Dave: Wow! That’s like 20-story tall building!

Miles: I know! It’s insanely tall for a tree. Gives you a glimpse of the primordial world before the flood.

Anyway. Viviana writes: “I have been so grateful for your studies and programs on hell. I grew up terrified of hell and I’m so grateful to learn that the Bible doesn’t actually teach an eternally burning hell. I shared with my sister the good news and she was very interested. She wants to believe but is afraid of being wrong. She wants to know, if there is no hell, why did Christ refer to it in Matthew 18:8-9? How do you explain this passage if there is no ever-burning hell?”

Dave: Could you read that passage for us please?

Miles: Sure. Uh … it says:

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Dave: Well, the problem with using this passage to prove an eternally burning hell is that you have to be inconsistent in order to do so. That’s the first problem.

Miles: What do you mean?

Dave: Well, no one is going around insisting that Yahushua meant that if you stumble over your foot, you should literally cut it off and throw your foot away! He’s speaking metaphorically here. It’s inconsistent, then, to interpret the first part of his statement metaphorically but the second part literally.

And that brings me to the second problem with using this passage to prove a literal hell: Yahushua was referring to a literal place that existed outside of Jerusalem that was commonly understood metaphorically as a symbol of divine judgment. Again, it’s all metaphorical.

Miles: What place was that?

Dave: Gehenna. In fact, if you look up the word translated “hell” in verse 9, the original word is “Gehenna.” This is a reference to the Valley of Hinnom that lay south of Jerusalem. It was basically what today we’d refer to as the city dump. They’d take their refuse there. Fires were constantly burning the garbage taken there.

Christ himself didn’t use the word “hell.” This was a later theological development. The word Yahushua used was “Gehenna.” Basically, he was saying “Don’t let self-destructive behaviors cause you to end up on the trash heap of life. You’ll be full of regret and remorse, but you’ll be unable to go back and change the things that led you here.” He’s saying, “Don’t waste your life that way.” And, in keeping with the metaphorical nature of this passage, he referred to Jerusalem’s city dump that was already understood as a metaphor of divine judgment.

In Islam, Gehenna or “Jahannan,” is a multi-level place of torment for the wicked. But again, that’s extrapolation. Scripture doesn’t actually teach an ever-burning hell, and to use Christ’s references to Jerusalem’s city dump as “proof,” well … it just sort of breaks down once you know the word he really used.

Miles: Huh! That’s fascinating. I guess I just assumed “Gehenna” was the Greek word for hell. I didn’t know it was actually just the city dump. That’s interesting.

Okay! We’ve got time for one more question. Tobias from Bremen, Germany writes: “I’ve been listening to some of your programs on the nature of Yahuwah and Yahushua. You certainly have a lot of proof for the nature of Yahuwah. My question has to do with the nature of Yahushua. I know a dual divine/human nature is difficult to understand, but isn’t that why it’s called a ‘mystery’?”

Dave: That’s a really great question and I’m thankful to have the opportunity to answer it. First, though, I just want to commend you, Tobias, for being willing to look at evidence that contradicts a belief that, in the past, you’ve been told is true. It takes a great deal of courage and commitment to the truth to do that.

As to the nature of Christ being called a mystery, you’re right. It’s often referred to that way. But the sticking point is that that is what we humans have called it. The Word of Yah never refers to a trinity; it never claims that Yahushua has a dual nature. It certainly never says the Savior’s nature is a “mystery.” That came in later as a means of answering the unanswerable questions that invariably arose when this error contradicted Scripture.

Miles: Yeah, error always causes confusion, doesn’t it?

Dave: Now there is a word that is sometimes translated in our modern Bibles as “mystery.” For example, Colossians 1:26 speaks of “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.”

Miles: There’s another one I’m thinking of. Uh … give me just a second to find it here …

Oh. Ephesians 3:4. It says: “In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.”

Dave: That’s another good one. And while it certainly sounds, at a surface level, to be referring to his nature, that’s not what it’s talking about.

Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and read verses 7 and 8. This is another place where “mystery” is used and probably shouldn’t be.

Miles: “We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

Why do you say the word “mystery” shouldn’t be used there?

Dave: The word in Greek is mustērion. The thing is, it doesn’t mean “mystery” in the modern sense of the word.

Here … I’ve printed out the definition of mystery from several modern dictionaries. Would you read through those, please?

Miles: Uhhh … “A mystery is something that baffles our understanding and cannot be explained.” That’s from Vocabulary.com.

The Collins Dictionary says: “A mystery is something that is not understood or known about.”

Merriam-Webster says a mystery is “something not understood or beyond understanding : [an] enigma.”

The Oxford Dictionary says a mystery is “something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain.”

Dave: The word “mystery” carries with it the meaning that it’s something impossible to understand. You’ll see that’s not what mustērion means.

I brought in my copy of Strong’s Expanded Dictionary. Would you please turn to number 3466 in the Greek section and read what it says?

Miles: Let’s see … Wow! That’s a long definition. You want me to read the whole thing?

Dave: Well, just get started on it.

Miles: All right.

Mustērion: a secret or “mystery” … in the New Testament it denotes, not the mysterious (as with the English word), but that which, being outside the range of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit.

In the ordinary sense a “mystery” implies knowledge withheld; its scriptural significance is truth revealed. Hence the terms especially associated with the subject are “made known,” “manifested,” “revealed,” “preached,” “understand,” “dispensation.” The definition given above may be best illustrated by the following passage: “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints” (Colossians 1:26).

It is used of spiritual truth generally, as revealed in the gospel.

Dave: That’s good enough. You get the general idea. A “mystery” in our modern language is something that is impossible to explain or understand.

By contrast, mustērion is something that is made known. It’s revealed and manifested and understood.

Miles: So perhaps a better word would be secret.

Dave: Exactly! In Scripture, it’s not that it can never be known. But it’s a truth that only Yahuwah can reveal through His spirit.

That’s not the supposedly dual nature of Christ. We call it a “mystery” because that’s what it is by the modern definition of the word: We can’t understand it because it’s, quite frankly, an impossibility! And it’s not Scriptural.

That said, if the trinity or a dual-natured Yahushua were true, we could certainly expect to find them mentioned in Scripture as part of Yahuwah’s mustērion – the “secrets” He revealed to believers through His spirit.

I have here a quote I’d like you to read. It’s from an article called “Jesus is the Son of God, Not God the Son” on BiblicalUnitarian.com.

Would you read that for us, please?

Miles:

The reason why many English Bibles continue to translate mustērion as “mystery” in spite of the fact that the scholars and many clergy know that “mystery” is an inaccurate translation is due in large part to the many unbiblical and even self-contradictory doctrines that have crept into the Church over time. When even the clergy could not explain or understand these doctrines, the translation “mystery” became generally accepted because the concept of a “mystery” is a handy way to present inexplicable doctrines to the average Christian. People who challenged these and other traditions of the Church were quickly labeled “heretics” and persecuted, so the translation “mystery” went mostly unchallenged.

Wow! That’s saying something. Wow.

Dave: Again, a better translation would be “secret” because, in Christ, all of Yahuwah’s secrets are revealed.

We can see this Romans 16. Would you please turn there and read verses 25 to 27?

Miles:

Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Yahushua Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Yahushua Christ! Amen.

Dave: So this translation uses the word “mystery,” but you can also see that “secret” would have been a better word choice because it’s not talking about something impossible to understand—which is the definition of “mystery.” Instead, it’s talking about a secret that, verse 26, “has now been disclosed”! It’s been revealed! It’s not a mystery.

Not only is the dual nature of Christ not a mystery, but it’s a contradiction! Same with the idea of a triune godhead: it’s a contradiction. Statements like “Yahushua is fully human and fully divine” or “three Persons in one God” are contradictions. And this has been recognized for a long time.

William G. Eliot was a 19^th-century American minister and educator. I have here a quote from his book, Discourses on the Doctrines of Christianity. Would you read that for us, please?

Miles: All right.

Mystery and contradiction are very different things. The former is something beyond our sight, or seen imperfectly. The latter is seen to be untrue. … We know enough to see that two contradictory statements cannot both be true. … So when Christ asserts that he did not know of a certain future event (see Mark 13:32), the assertion that he was nevertheless Omniscient, is evidently a denial of what he said.

That’s quite a statement!

Dave: It is. And it’s true. The idea that there are doctrines that are divine mysteries we’ll never understand is not biblical. Scripture speaks of “secrets” but also says that Yahuwah has revealed those secrets, and Christ’s nature is never described as one of those secrets. It’s only when you can’t explain error that you need to describe it as a mystery.

Truth isn’t mysterious.

Miles: And aren’t you glad?!

If you’ve got a question you’d like Dave to answer, just go to our website at WorldsLastChance.com and click on contact us. We always enjoy hearing from our listeners.

Up next: Jane Lamb has today’s daily promise.

* * *Daily Promise:

Hello! This is Jane Lamb with your daily promise from Yah’s Word.

Author Roy Bennett writes, quote: “Attitude is a choice. Happiness is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make makes you. Choose wisely.”

I recently read a story about an amazing woman named Wendy Wallace. Despite experiencing heartbreak and incredible difficulties, Wendy made the choice to continue to trust Yahuwah. She chose to continue to be positive and upbeat. This is her story.

In 2011, Wendy felt like she was coming down with the flu. She quickly got worse, however, and within three days it had reached the point of life-threatening. Wendy had somehow contracted a flesh-eating bacterium. Doctors told her family that there was less than 1% chance of recovery. However, the Wallaces are Christians. When doctors told Wendy’s husband, Mike, that he needed to prepare for her death, he said, “You don’t know my God and what He can do!”

For three weeks, Wendy was in a medically induced coma. During those three weeks, Mike prayed earnestly for her recovery. Their children prayed. Their families prayed. Friends prayed. Friends of friends, and their friends prayed.

Wendy had operation after operation, but the infection spread. She lost blood flow to her limbs and her kidneys began to shut down. Both feet and both hands were amputated. The future looked bleak, but Wendy’s family and friends continued to pray. After three weeks in a coma, Wendy woke up to a life very different from the one she’d known before. Recovery was long and hard, but Wendy refused to give up. Proverbs 3, verses 5 to 6 was especially comforting to her. It says:

Trust in Yahuwah with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

These words strengthened Wendy. She believed that Yahuwah still had a plan for her life. Today, Wendy witnesses for Yahuwah through her blog called One Exceptional Life.

Wendy explains, quote, “Women who face trauma long to feel confident and peaceful in their walk with [Yah]. To do that they need to know they are walking in His will and submitting to Him. The problem is fear and confusion make it hard to discern the [Father’s] direction. After trauma, women are often overcome with doubt and a sense of hopelessness. They wonder why the life they’ve lived in faith isn’t making their trials seem any easier.” Unquote.

Her mission is “to lift and support [women] to rediscover [Yahuwah’s] joy and peace amid the trials [of] life.”

Psalm 84:11 says,

For Yahuwah Elohim is a sun and shield;
Yahuwah will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly.

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: You know, a few months ago when you first approached me with the idea that, far from a prophecy about the last days, Revelation is primarily a warning about the destruction of Jerusalem—

Dave: —so it’s already been fulfilled!

Miles: Right! That was shocking to me. Then after looking at the evidence and agreeing that most of the book is not about the last days, I was left wondering what the point was for believers today.

I mean, sure! The last couple of chapters are valuable. But the rest of it? When it’s been fulfilled for almost 2,000 years? What’s the point for believers to spend time studying this now? But today’s study has really clarified for me the value of this book. It’s reassuring. It tells us that no matter what bad things happen, Yahuwah is still in control. And with His foreknowledge, He will take care of us. Just as He remembered the believers in Jerusalem and provided a way of escape, He’ll take care of us, too.

Dave: You’re exactly right. Psalm 119 verse 90 says: “Your faithful endures to all generations.” We need to cling to that promise. Even if we’re called to “walk through the fire,” so to speak, we can rest in the knowledge that He walks with us.

Would you please turn to Lamentation 3? This is an especially poignant chapter. Jeremiah had been prophesying for decades the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon. He’d been mocked, derided and even imprisoned, and still he’d persisted in warning the Israelites of the coming destruction.

But when it finally did come, it was so incredibly horrific, that Jeremiah himself quailed at the sheer magnitude of suffering and destruction. Read verses 1 to 3.

Miles:

I am the man who has seen affliction
by the rod of Yahuwah’s wrath.
He has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
indeed, He has turned His hand against me
again and again, all day long.

Dave: Jeremiah’s heart was breaking. And it’s this that makes what he says in verses 19 to 26 so poignant. Go ahead and read those for us.

Miles:

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of Yahuwah’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “Yahuwah is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

Yahuwah is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of Yahuwah.

Dave: When Jeremiah took the time to remember that the destruction itself was a fulfillment of Yahuwah’s promised justice, it gave him hope. He realized that just as Yahuwah fulfilled His promises of retribution, He would also fulfill His promises of salvation. What do verses 31 to 33 say?

Miles:

For no one is cast off
by Yahuwah forever.
Though he brings grief, he will show compassion,
so great is his unfailing love.
For he does not willingly bring affliction
or grief to anyone.

Dave: This is the value of studying the book of Revelation. In a world of sin, there will be tremendous suffering. We can’t escape it.

Even the believers that escaped with their lives, it wasn’t easy! They had to flee with very little and somehow set up living and earning a living in a foreign country. It wasn’t easy.

But through it all, Yahuwah was with them. And He’ll be with us, too. This is the great promise of Revelation.

Miles: Because we serve a covenant-keeping God.

Thank you for joining us for today’s program called “The Promise of Revelation.” If you’d like to share it with a friend or family member, you can find it on our website. Just click on the WLC Radio icon and look for Program 285, “The Promise of Revelation.”

We hope you can join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

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This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.