Loveland Protestant Reformed Church
709 East 57th Street; Loveland, CO 80538
Services: 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. June through August)
Vol. 6, No. 2 Pastor: Rev. Garry Eriks Phone: (970) 667-9481
Homepage on Internet: http://www.prca.org
Contents:
The Church
Triumphant
An Intercessory Prayer for the Elect
Will There Be a Literal Armageddon?
The church triumphant is the name given to that part of the church that is now resting from its labors in glory. Those who belong to the church triumphant have fought the good fight of faith, have finished their course, and have received a crown of righteousness from the Lord (II Tim. 4:7-8).
That we call them the church triumphant should not suggest to us that the church on earth is not triumphant in the battle of faith. As we saw in the last issue, even those of us who are still fighting the battle, suffering and struggling here, are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom. 8:37). Christ has triumphed gloriously over his enemies, death, sin and Satan, and totally defeated them (Lk. 10:17-18, Eph. 4:8, Col. 2:15). We are victorious in Him.
That needs emphasis today. Christ is not waiting to be crowned King of kings. He is crowned with glory and honor at God's right hand (Heb. 2:9) and rules in the midst of His enemies (Ps. 110:2). Even while the battle is still being fought, we already have the victory with him and fight a defeated enemy. All that remains are, what are called in military terms, the "mopping up operations." The kingdom is won, it must only be delivered up to the Father (I Cor. 15:24).
That is true even while wicked men grow worse and worse, and the whole world lies in darkness. The wicked are so completely defeated that Christ not only continues to rule over them, but by His sovereign rule He uses them for his own purpose.
Nevertheless, we refer especially to the saints in glory as the church triumphant because they have entered into the full enjoyment of the victory. While we continue the struggle, they rest from their labors (Rev. 14:13) and go no more out (Rev. 3:12). While we must still wear the armor of faith, they have put it aside and are clothed in white (Rev. 3:5). They are no longer see the faces of their enemies, but behold the face of the Lamb (Rev. 22:4). Their tears are wiped away and there is for them no more death or sorrow or crying or pain (Rev. 21:4).
It is good for us to think of them. Their glory is a testimony that the victory is ours also. Before long we shall be where they are and shall rest with them. What a great day that will be! Not only that, but they pray in heaven for vengeance upon their and our enemies, a prayer that God surely hears (Rev. 6:9-11).
Only in two respects is their triumph incomplete. First, their bodies are not yet raised, so that they do not enjoy heavenly glory with both soul and glorified body. Second, the rest of the church is not yet glorified and, as Rev. 6:9-11 suggests, their glory is not complete without ours. The whole body must be gathered in one in Christ, for the glory of God the Father, and until it is, they too must wait as we do.
In the sure hope of that coming day - sure by God's decree, by Christ's blood and rule, and by the sovereign work of the Spirit - we struggle and wait and pray while they rest and wait and pray. Soon we will be together. Rev. R. Hanko
An Intercessory Prayer for the Elect (2)
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Lk. 23:34
The reader of our Newsletter who sent in a question concerning this text, phrased the matter this way: "This verse seems to have two problems associated with it: (1) It seems as if Christ is asking his Father to forgive all who hear him, indiscriminately. Does this mean therefore that Christ wants all who hear, indiscriminately, to be saved? Do we preach the gospel in this manner? (2) Christ seems to be suggesting that the people do not know what they are doing, and so therefore are not responsible for their actions. Is this really so?"
We pointed out last time (and we ask the reader to consult that article to refresh his or her memory) that it is important to ask the question, first of all: For what is Christ praying?
We mentioned that one possible interpretation is that Christ was praying for a postponement of judgment. And we pointed out that this interpretation was almost necessary if Christ is here praying for all men. For, if Christ is praying for all men, and this prayer is for the forgiveness of sins, then Christ's request for forgiveness is rejected by God. That would be the most dreadful happening in all this sorry world.
But Christ cannot possibly be praying here for a postponement of judgment. The simple fact is that the word in the Greek (and in the English) for "forgive" is the word which Scripture uses throughout for the forgiveness of sins.
It is a perversion of Scripture, therefore, to say that, "Father, forgive them..." means, "Father, postpone thy judgment so that they have an opportunity of repent." Anyone can see that such a change in Scripture's language is unwarranted and wicked.
So the prayer of Christ is indeed for the forgiveness of sins. It can mean nothing else. But if this excruciatingly moving prayer of Christ is for the forgiveness of sins (and is surely heard -- any other thought is too terrible to contemplate), then it has to be also for His elect. That is, it is a particular prayer for His people only.
This is in keeping with Christ's own words in His high priestly prayer: "I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine" (John 17:9). This prayer was for those, therefore, for whom Christ died. For He laid down His life for His sheep. And He shed His blood for those who were given Him from all eternity.
It is fitting and appropriate that He should do this at the moment of His crucifixion, for our Lord is about to die for the sins of His people. And it is on the basis of His own cross that He is able to make this prayer to His heavenly Father. Christ prays: "Lord, do not punish my sheep for this great sin which they now commit, but forgive them, for I die to pay for this sin also, as well as all the sins that they commit."
The reader says, "This verse seems . . . as if Christ is asking his Father to forgive all who hear him." But why should that be? Why should He be praying for all who hear Him? Why is it not possible that in the consciousness of our Lord Who "loved His own, even unto the end" (John 13:1) he should now have them in His heart as they commit that most terrible of all possible sins, the crucifixion of the Son of God?
There were, of course, those there at Calvary who were among the people for whom Christ prayed. Scripture itself mentions the centurion who was responsible for seeing to it that the execution was carried out, but who cried out at the moment of Christ's death: "Truly this was the Son of God" (Matthew 27:54).
But we must put ourselves at the foot of the cross. The curses and blasphemies hurled against Christ, after all, echo our own depraved and corrupt hearts. "On Calvary is the judgment of the world. There we stand exposed in all our enmity against God. There the mask of our sham goodness and religiousness is torn from our faces. The hour of the cross is" our condemnation (When I Survey, p.378).
When in humility we confess this, then that prayer is also for us.
The cross is for Christ's sheep. The prayer is for those for whom atonement is about to be made. The preaching of the cross is never an expression of God's willingness and desire to save all men. The gospel is the proclamation of God's purpose in Christ to save all who believe.
That brings us to the last question: What then is meant by the expression: For they know not what they do? The reader suggests that this implies an ignorance on the part of the people which removes from them their responsibility. In a certain sense this is true. But the question is important enough that we ought to devote a separate article to it. Prof. H. Hanko
We will send a free, sample-copy, of the Standard Bearer at your request. Write the address on the heading of this letter.
Also: we have available taped recordings of the recent lecture of Prof. D. Engelsma on the Millennium. Write for prices.
Will There Be a Literal Armageddon?
Our question for this issue concerns the book of Revelation and the last times. One of our readers asks: "What do you hold concerning a literal battle of Armageddon?"
Armageddon or Megiddo (ar - mageddon means "Valley of Megiddo") is a famous valley in the land of Canaan where many battles were fought in the Old Testament. Barak and Deborah, Gideon, Saul, Ahab and Josiah all fought there.
The book of Revelation speaks of a great battle that will be fought there in the last times. Our question concerns that "when" and "where" of that battle and what kind of battle it will be. Much careless interpretation has gone into answering these questions.
Let us notice, first, that Revelation refers to this battle three times (16:14-16, 19:19-20, 20:8-9). Revelation 16:14-16 is the only passage that mentions Armageddon, but all the passages clearly refer to the same battle. All speak literally of "the battle" or "the war."
We should notice several things about this battle.
First, it takes place at the very end of the world, not a thousand years prior, as some teach. This is clear from all three passages. In Revelation 16 it precedes the seventh vial and the fall of Babylon (which chapter 18 shows to be the final overthrow of the wicked). In Revelation 19 and 20 it immediately precedes the final judgment .
Second, regarding Gog and Magog, who are participants in that battle, we need to note that Revelation 20:8 identifies them as "the nations which in the four quarters of the earth," i.e., all nations. The "four quarters of the earth" always refers to all the earth in Scripture.
Thirdly, it is the camp of the saints and the beloved city that they attack. That city is not the earthly city of Jerusalem, but the church. This is apparent from Revelation 21:9ff where the angel tells John that he will show him "the bride, the Lamb's wife" i.e., the church, and proceeds to show him that city, "the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God."
Indeed, in the book of Revelation, the name, "Jerusalem," is never used to describe the earthly city. Where the earthly city is referred to, Revelation calls it "Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified" (11:8).
Putting all of that together, we see, therefore, that the battle of Armageddon, is the final assault of the nations, the unbelieving world, upon the church. Strictly speaking it is not, therefore, a "literal" battle in the sense that it is fought with weapons and armies. It is nevertheless a real though spiritual battle.
As far as the book of Revelation is concerned, the battle of Armageddon is THE battle of which all other battles are but pictures and shadows. The book of Revelation from beginning to end concerns that battle.
The book is divided into two sections. Chapters 1-11 present that battle first as we experience it, i.e., the battle between the church and the world. Chapters 12-22 show us the same battle as it is in reality, the battle between Christ and the dragon.
In that battle, the church prevails finally and forever, for the judgment follows in which all who oppose her and her Lord are cast into the lake of fire. In it we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. Rev. R. Hanko