END OF TIME PROPHECIES 031

"Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which will be hereafter."                              Revelation 1v19

John now receives his commission directly from the Lord.   He is told to write three things:

• "The things which thou hast seen"           This refers to the past and most probably the vision of Revelation chapter 1.  
• "The things which are"                             referring to the present and describes the present period of the church.
• "The things which shall be hereafter"     This refers to the future events to come after the church age.

There is no doubt that this three fold commission to write is a Divine sub division of the entire book commencing at ch.1v4 through ch. 22v5   The first refers to the vision of Christ as revealed in chapter 1v4-18.   The second refers to the church age, details of which are in chapters 2&3.   The third of these has to do with future events after the church age and continues from chapter 4v1 and continues to chapter 22v5.   There is no doubt that there is indicated a dispensational change in the structure of the book.   While there are many references to the churches up to and including chapter 3v22, there is no mention of the church or the churches after that until we come to chapter 19v7 where we read of the marriage of the Lamb and "His wife hath made herself ready."   So at the end of Revelation chapter 3 the church, the bride of Christ is seen on earth, yet in chapter 19 she is seen in heaven.   Something epoch-making has happened to remove the remnant of the church to heaven, such that she is fully formed and is ready for the marriage of the Lamb.   She has been removed from the earth in what other parts of the New Testament describe as "the harpazo" or better known as  the"rapture" of the church.   This word can be found from the New Testament references of  "caught up" .   Furthermore in chapter 4v1 there is clearly a reference to this and to a dispensational change when it says "come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter."

By the word "dispensation" we mean how God is ordering His administration of the universe in any given time period.   He does not change His timeless principles, but He deals with the world at times in different ways.   His present stewardship or administration of the world is one of grace.   This much is made clear in many places notably Hebrews 4v16 where He says that in the present day the throne of heaven is a throne of grace.    That is, the primary dealings God has with the world is in grace and not in judgement.    However when we come to revelation chapter 4 onwards there is no doubt there is a change in the character of the throne of heaven.   Let us look at the verses concerning God's rule on earth after the church age.   We will tabulate the verses and then make a little comment on them.

• Revelation 4v5          "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices."
• Revelation 8v5          "And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it into the earth; and there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake."
• Revelation 11v19       "And the temple of God was opened in heaven and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament; and there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and an earthquake and great hail."
• Revelation 16v17-21   "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven from the throne saying it is done.   And there were voices and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake and so great.   And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.   And every island fled away and the mountains were not found.   And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven every stone about the weight of a talent. (120lbs)."

There are some things to observe here.  Firstly,  this is no longer the language of grace, the throne is now one of in judgment.   Secondly, it is a picture of judgment of increasing intensity, because each time this language is used, as quoted above, another dimension is added.   Thirdly, the God of grace who today dispenses grace to the world will dispense wrath and become directly involved in the affairs of this world. This wrath is described as "fierce"  

The day of grace is still upon us.   The sunshine of God's grace floods the world.   From Revelation chapter 4 onwards the day of grace is over, and the day of vengeance begins.   This is the message of the book of Revelation.

"O sinner seek His grace, whose wrath thou canst not bear,

Flee to the shelter of the cross, and find salvation there".

The expression "the wrath of the Lamb" (chapter 6v16) perfectly describes the stark contrast of the two dispensations.     The Lamb who died to save the world will one day crush the world who rejected His grace.