The cheerful side of the Church The last two chapters show how Satan resists the Church by all means. Therefore, in this chapter God as usual, reveals to the Church a joyful and happy side, to fill the believers' hearts with peace and joy in the middle of tribulation. This side is represented in three revelations: 1 .The Lamb and the believers around Him 1-5. 2 .Appearance of three angels 6-12. 3 .The harvest 14-20. 1- THE LAMB AND THE BELIEVERS AROUND HIM What an extremely joyful and happy view when the Apostle says, “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads” [1]. The Lamb is standing, and around Him, those who are bound and united to Him with eternal love, for He is “the true Love.” They stood with Him on Mount Zion, i.e. the high heaven, “The city of the great King” (Ps. 48:2). They reign through Him, and He reigns over them, realizing the prophesy that says, “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion”(Ps. 2:6). What a desirable view! Who would not do his utmost and accept all suffering, in order to obtain this destiny, to be around the Lord, to accompany, be united with Him, and not depart from Him forever?! “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. And they sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four Living Creatures, and the presbyters; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being first-fruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God” [2-5]. Who are those around the Lamb? The early Fathers think1, that they are the firstborn people who castrated themselves for the kingdom. They offer a heavenly life of virginity, through the Lord Jesus who is virgin. In the middle of her tribulation, caused by the Antichrist, the Lord reveals to the Church, the view of these firstborns who enjoy this glory, to comfort their suffering souls, that God is not unjust to forget their loving labor. We should not forget that the whole Church is called “the Church of the firstborns.”(Heb12: 23) The one who is not physically chaste, but enjoys the soul’s chastity, will not be denied being firstborn, because of his union with the Lord of firstborns, as a living member in His body. We all, virgins or married, are living members in the body of the Lord, our Head. Therefore, we are considered firstborns, and pure before God, and without blame, or deceit in His sight. 1 St. Jerome against Jovinianus 1:4; Letter 130; and St. Augustine on Virginity. 6 It is proper for the true believer to taste and experience the spiritual virginity, so he may offer through the Lord a virgin soul, heart, thought, and senses. All, as virgins, do not desire, are not preoccupied, or demand, but the Lord Jesus the only Bridegroom. I do not, thereby, diminish the value of virginity, for who can describe or express that angelic condition? and that heavenly rank which the normal man cannot possess joyfully and happily, except through the Lord Jesus?! But in this concern, I wish to clarify the importance of the virginity of the whole Church. Whoever her members are, all are a “chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2), “Church of the firstborns (Heb. 12:23), a kind of “first-fruits of His creatures” (Jam. 1:18). Those members are the ones who got the right to lodge in the house of the Lord, as the Psalmist says: “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness and speaks the truth in his heart; he who does not backbite with his tongue” (Ps. 15). Let us go back to the Revelation, to hear with the Apostle, many joyful and refreshing sounds. From the Church that the Apostle saw, came sweet and harmonious sounds as a marvelous symphony. He heard: 1. A voice like the voice of many waters. It is the voices of the nations and tongues, whoever their race is. Those who accepted faith, and were entirely bound to the Savior, praising Him with joy. 2.The voice of the Bridegroom rejoicing with His bride, unceasingly interchanging sentiments, after a period of reciprocal longing. The Apostle heard His voice, "like the voice of loud thunder." Thus when the Church, in her trouble, looks at that spectacle, especially, during the time of the Antichrist, she will understand the might of her Bridegroom, and His supreme potentialities. 3. And a voice like the sound of harpists, which is the voice of the virgins. It is the tune of an angelic music, having a special sweetness and beauty for their virginity in the Lord. 2- THE APPEARANCE OF THREE ANGELS After revealing, to the Church the glory prepared for her, specially for the virgins, to encourage them to persevere, He also shows them that He does not forsake them while they are on earth. Rather He takes care of them, as the Apostle says, "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue and people, saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea, and springs of water’”[6-7]. Bishop Victorianus says, that the angel is Elijah the prophet who comes to help the Church. He preaches and evangelizes among the nations and tribes, encouraging the Church in every nation to persist until the end. He confirms the believers in the fear of God, to give Him glory, and refuse to worship the dragon and the Antichrist. As this work was huge and the time very short, the Apostle says, “And another angel followed saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication’” [8]. The other angel is “Enoch,” who accompanies Elijah, as if he were saying with the prophet, “Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, that made all the earth drunk. 7 The nations drunk her wine; therefore the nations are deranged. Babylon has suddenly fallen, and been destroyed” (Jer. 51:7,8). Babylon gives a picture of human satanic pride, showing haughtiness to God1. Here, Babylon means the spirit of the Antichrist who behaves arrogantly towards God, and surely she will be defeated. The first angel encourages and confirms the believers, and the second angel frightens the wicked and the deviants. This does not mean that Elijah speaks only about hope and confirmations without rebuking the wicked, nor does Enoch stop at rebuking and talking violently, without mixing his talk with hope, for they are working in one spirit, one mind, and have one and the same purpose. But the Revelation displays both sides of the word of God; the joyful and cheerful side of the repentant soul, and the harsh and severe side of the derisive souls. These two angels are accompanied by a third angel, “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest, day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name’” [9-11]. This third angel is the Holy Bible, particularly the prophecies mentioned in it about the Antichrist. These prophecies will preach the truth, warning and admonishing for worshipping the beast or his image, or accepting his mark, otherwise they will be tormented with eternal fire which we shall talk about later2. Certainly, the two angels are not alone in witnessing to the truth. God uses many who proclaim, and reveal the truth, and pronounce what is written in the Holy Bible at any cost! The three angels indicate three sides of the mission of the suffering Church, in the time of the Antichrist, which are: 1. The first angel speaks about the glory prepared for those who worship the Lord, that is, "eternal life.” 2. The second angel speaks about the destruction of the kingdom of the Antichrist, i.e., “vanishing of the world.” 3. The third angel speaks about the suffering prepared for the Antichrist and his followers, that is, “eternal fire.” These three sides or messages are announced by the two prophets, and are clarified by the Holy Bible. As the beloved John saw the three angels, he realized that the two prophets and their disciples will suffer from tribulation, so he blessed them saying, “Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” [12]. How happy are the contemporaries with the Antichrist, for they endure more pain than the believers in any other age. Consequently, their patience is greater, their keeping the commandments deeper, and their faith in the Lord firmer. They are prepared for great diadems of glory, that nobody can describe . 1 We shall speak of Babylon in more detail in chapter 16. 2 To avoid repetition, we shall speak later about the cup of God's wrath, and hell in interpretation of chapter 16. 8 We do not envy them, for every believer , in any age, at any place and under any circumstances, can obtain the blessing, as the Apostle says, "Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them” [13]. “Blessed” means “how happy or how rejoicing?!” How happy are those who show patience, enduring pain and suffering of their cross, not only at the time of the Antichrist but at any time. For pain, fatigue of the road, and the cross, all these are the marks of the true believer, even if he is in solitary and does not see any person. St. Augustine departed, while he was singing the psalms of repentance, with a humble heart and tears flowing from his eyes. Blessed is he! St. Pakomius departed, while he was occupied with his children's affairs, and planning for their welfare, in spite of the severity of his sickness... Blessed is he! Everyday, shining candles depart, melting away day by day, consuming for the love of God, until they come to an end. 3- THE HARVEST After announcing to the Church her heavenly glory, and revealing His care for her by sending three angels, he is back to reassure her that the harvest time is near. As the Apostle says, “And I looked and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle” [14]. The Church should not be afraid, because her Bridegroom is coming on a white cloud, in great glory, glowing among a thousand and ten thousand times ten thousand of angels, surrounding Him as a white cloud1. He is coming dressed in the white robe down to the feet, on a white cloud to receive His bride, who is dressed in a white robe, for she is chaste, pure, and cheerful in His eyes. She carries the reflections of His extreme beauty, and His heavenly virtues. The corporal world has little interest for her, she is pure with no defile whatsoever, for she is the heavenly bride of the Lamb. He comes to her “sitting on the cloud;” He is no more “standing,” as Stephen the martyr saw Him. For He is no more worried about His Church, for the days of her strive have come to an end. So He sat, that she may sit beside Him and join up with Him, His glory! She sees Him “like the Son of Man.” He is really “Son of Man.” As He became man for the sake of the Church, to accompany her, and to be accompanied by her, to declare His love for her on the Cross, that she may accept His love within her. However, in the heavenly glory she sees Him “like a Son of Man”, because of the glories of His Divinity, and the splendor of His majesty. These things are no more as in a mirror dimly, but the Church sees them and enjoys them in their perfection. “Having on His head a golden crown,” as He is the heavenly King, King of kings, and God of gods. He comes to reign with His children an everlasting heavenly reign. “And in his hand a sharp sickle,” when the harvest time comes, He reaps with His hands the good grapes. He rejoices and delights with the fruits. His eyes do not move 1 See the interpretation of Rev. 1:7. 9 away from the fruits of His grapevine, which is the Church. The sharp sickle is only for the dry, unstable branches which are gathered to be burnt in the eternal fire with the bad grapes. The true Church sees the sharp sickle, and is not afraid of it, because it is in her Bridegroom’s hand. But the wicked and the blasphemers who lived as slaves of Satan and of Sin, can not tolerate seeing it. How wonderful! The Lord Himself comes forward to take His bride's hand up to the heaven of heavens, to have rest there. As for the wicked, he says: "And another angel came out of the temple crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped” [15-16]. The angel came out pleading, asking the Lord “Thrust Your sickle.” This is the desire of the angels, the longing of those who are in Paradise (Rev. 6:10), and the goal of the militants who hope for it in every prayer saying, “Your kingdom come,” “and we wait for the resurrection of the dead and the life to come.” "Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs” [17-20]. The three angels came out, longing to see the glorious day of Judgment, to see the righteous, glorified, and crowned, and the wickedness of the wicked poured on them, and their darkness falling back on them. Bishop Victorianus says, that this vision concerning the three angels points to doomsday, when the wicked perish, on the coming of the Lord. We notice that the two first angels are coming out of the temple, which is in heaven, to declare the longing of the angels and the heavenly hosts for the Judgment day. The third angel came out of the altar, or out of Paradise, where the departed souls rest under the altar, with the authority over the fire or over Satan. He came out to declare that all the believers’ struggle is accomplished, and the time has come to reap the clusters of grapes, which are swinging, staggering, and persecuting the saints and the believers, and shedding the blood of the martyrs. As bishop Victorianus says, [They are thrown in the winepress of God's anger, and they are tread down outside the city (heaven), and this is the punishment of the wicked.] They will be avenged by blood shedding, as the prophet previously declared, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you” (Ezek 35:6). Thus the blood shedder of innocent people will be thrown in the winepress of the eternal hell, outside heaven, and will remain there as though they were slain, and the blood reaching to their necks. They are not calm nor rested. They desire death and perishability, but they do not find them. CONCLUSION 10 In the following third series, “pouring of the seven bowls,” God announces His punishment of human beings, through history in general, and particularly at the time of the Antichrist. This punishment emanates from a loving God, on hard hearted mankind. Its aim is the repentance of man. Therefore, it comes with gradual severity, and it is not poured all at once. At the same time, he paves the way for it in chapter fifteen, revealing two visions of the Apostle in order to reassure the believers about God’s love for them.
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