Some will recognize these words ‘the wood for the trees’ in that they come from an idiomatic statement, “Can’t see the wood for the trees.” In the USA and Australia it is often altered to, “Can’t see the forest for the trees.” But, what does it mean?
If someone “can’t see the wood for the trees,” they are unable to understand what is important in a situation because they are giving too much attention to details. They miss the larger picture because of fascination with one or two aspects of the whole.
I think that this could be said of some of us Christians when we read the Book of the Revelation. There are so many ‘trees’ in that unusual and amazing book of the Bible, that to get absorbed with any one of the visions might well mean we could miss the main outline of what God desires to show us in the whole. Indeed, there are those who wrongly entitle it “The Book of Revelations,” using the plural instead of the singular, and for sure, there are many visions in it, but each should be regarded as a part of the forest and it is that forest we need to see most of all!
How can we be helpful in the dilemma of either getting into too much detail or simply not having a clue what is being said?
Perhaps we all tend to fall into one of two categories, the larger of which are those who read it occasionally with a bemused attitude and the smaller group read and reread and become fascinated by it, even obsessed as they endeavor to understand every tree in the wood! How can we be helpful in the dilemma of either getting into too much detail or simply not having a clue what is being said? I suggest that the answer is to try to help each other see the wood and get some understanding of the big story unfolding in the chapters.
If my memory serves me correctly the twenty-two chapters that make up the Book of the Revelation have, in total, four hundred and four verses. What is staggering is the fact that packed within that multitude of verses well over four hundred direct allusions to the Old Testament are mentioned. This fact, of necessity, means that we will not get much of a grasp of the meaning of the visions unless we have some familiarity with the Old Testament scriptures for the showings of the last book of the Bible are all rooted in things already mentioned in the story of Israel and the visions and prophecies given to men of God such as Daniel, Zechariah and others.
It was the apostle John who received this series of revelations and the whole makes up one large letter (although there are seven smaller letters in chapters two and three) that had to be written out seven times and sent to seven of the churches to be found in the geographical area of what is now Western Turkey. John is commanded to write what he sees and hears (Revelation 1:11), quite how he did that we do not know. Did he have help? We can ask that because, at the time he received these protracted visions he was a prisoner on an island in the Adriatic Sea called Patmos suffering for his testimony to Jesus. Copying them out would have taken a lot of time and how these copies reached the seven churches we do not know, but; here they are, in our Bible, for us to read and receive great enrichment by.
Take note that in every church the whole book was to be read out loud and, unique in the whole Bible there is a blessing for those who read it and those who hear and keep what is written there (Revelation 1:3). We ought not to be afraid of reading this book then, nor of having it read out to us from time to time when we are gathered in a church meeting. Perhaps we should do that much more, notwithstanding the strangeness of some of its imagery and as we listen not attempt to look at every tree in the forest! What are the main points that will strike us as we listen to its account of unfolding history?
We ought not to be afraid of reading this book then, nor of having it read out to us from time to time when we are gathered in a church meeting.
I am sure we will not receive much unless we are in a similar state to John who received it. Just bring together his description of himself, he introduces himself as God’s ‘bond-servant’ and makes no reference to himself being an apostle (Revelation 1:1). He elucidates further by saying that he is brother and one who is sharing and participating in “the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Christ Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). What a trio of words those are. Perhaps, if we are in a state of heart where we are worldly, compromised and superficial these visions will seem rather irrelevant, but to those who are under pressure because of “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9) there will be great comfort brought to our souls as we read and ponder.
John mentions another aspect of his personal state at the time, it is a key saying, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” and it was as he was in that state of heart that he heard a loud voice like a trumpet commanding him to attention and activity (Revelation 1:10). Whatever does in mean to be “in the Spirit?” What S(s)pirit? Contrite, quiet, humble, expectant, looking to God, meek, loving, having a heart profoundly concerned for the churches, that they will stand firm in the grace of Christ and longing that the will of God be done in them throughout the unfolding of history. The S(s)pirit that is saying to God “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long….” (Revelation 6:10). We must never forget that “the secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He makes known to them His covenant” (Psalm 25:14). The casual heart will gain little from what is to be found here.
Throughout these visions John experienced all sorts of things, he fell down as one dead (Revelation 1:17), he was released from the limitations of earthly sight and saw into heaven (Revelation 4:2), he wept uncontrollably (Revelation 5:4) and was commanded to eat a little book (no doubt a symbolic statement) which would inwardly affect him with bitterness and yet would also have sweetness (Revelation 10:10). These are but a few of the things we could mention but they all show a profound participation and involvement with what he is seeing and hearing, nothing is merely objective.
Perhaps all this gives a clue to the fact that those who will gain most benefit from reading this book, and be able to pass it on to others are those who cry for refreshing news of God’s finished salvation being worked out in the face of persecution and suffering. They also long for judgment and justice to be finally accomplished; and it is these three things that sum up what the book of the Revelation is unfolding, salvation, persecution (including opposition and tribulation) and judgment.
There is an end to the story; God will finish what He has begun. His will and ways, His love and grace, His patience and mercy will be vindicated and His people, His saints who have experienced periods of power and effectiveness and rejection in their career in this world will be preserved and perfected, none will be lost. God’s enemies will be judged and punished finally, the evil trinity that has parodied God in Three Persons, pretending to be god will be consigned to everlasting fire and the wicked harlot who masqueraded as the answer to mans needs will also meet her destruction, Babylon shall be no more whereas the virgin woman (a symbol of the church), rejected by this world but loved by God and the Lamb shall be brought through to marriage to her husband and she shall be forever the Lamb’s wife! Here is an outline of history from God’s perspective and it should be our perspective too! Will the church, in the centuries of her time upon earth, have a substantially different career to that of her Founder, Christ? He was tried, tempted, rejected and yet overcame every enemy, He died and was raised from the dead by “the glory of the Father” (Romans 6:4). This Revelation Book shows us God’s church suffering and overcoming, tested and triumphant, failing at times and yet persevering.
Many of her number hold to the testimony of Jesus in the face of difficulties and deprivation, they will not succumb to the blandishments of the dragon as he manifest himself through the two beasts and the Babylon whore. They reject the mark of the beast and refuse to live their lives accepting the pretensions of the empires, states, religions and economic structures that are, at their root, the lie of the old serpent, the dragon that deceives the nations.
These phrases I am using all come from the Book of the Revelation. They describe things that faced the seven churches to which God specifically sent this book of visions to first. They would have immediately understood some of the imagery, they would have recognized the empire as being Rome in their day and the dreadful pressures to conform and “worship the beast” being brought to bear upon some of them. They would have also seen that the beast carried the whore, the whole economic/religious system upheld and supported by Roman tyranny and might. Would there be an end? Some of their number had already suffered martyrdom at the hands of the beast. How long would it go on and where was the promised coming of Jesus they had expected to soon take place? Would the church be exterminated and had they (and therefore we) believed in vain? John, the pastoral man who lived for the glory of God and loved, labored for and served His churches would surely have been wondering these things and to him this book was sent filled with its comfort. As though God was telling all of us that there is much to emerge in history, the enemy will reinvent itself again and again and empires will come and go.
The church will have periods of great effectiveness and growth and then appear to be dead in the street yet she shall stand up in fresh power to prophecy again being herself a fresh incarnation (if we may so say) of her Lord the Lamb! What consolation John must have felt as he was conducted through this series of visions and what strength and fortitude many of God’s people have gained as they have read this book in their times of tribulation!
Always remember that above all this is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1)! True, there are beasts in it, apparent ruin and yet emerging triumph, but there is no comfort for any of us unless we see Jesus and Jesus as He is revealed in these chapters. There are three principle visions of Him with a fourth that could be added. Look, read and ponder them deeply. First, John sees Him as the One Who is “in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands” (Revelation 1:13). “In the midst,” do we not need to see Him that way?
At all times whether we are the church in trial, or church in compromise, the church in testing times and even church in times of her mistakes, superficiality and folly; we must first see that Jesus is present in the midst of us, not far away, and we must pay attention to Him and have ears to hear what He is saying to the churches, His words are specific and filled with spiritual direction. Warning, encouragement, instruction and rebuke, the Book of the Revelation is filled with prophetic insight and we ignore what He says at our peril. What comfort John must have received as he beheld the Lord knowing that there was no neglect of the churches on His part at all. Christ had not forgotten but was present and working! Though John himself was no longer present to them, Jesus was there!
The second vision of Jesus is shows that He is in heaven and not only on the earth amongst the churches. Chapter five shows what happened to Him on His resurrection, ascension and accession to the place of rule. The Creator God revealed in chapter four gives His Son the sealed book of history and that Lion of the tribe of Judah is seen as the Lamb on the throne in thorough and complete control of all that is occurring in time. Here we are taken to the administrative center of all things, the very heaven of heavens and we watch as first He releases the four horseman of the apocalypse (Revelation 6:1-8), limiting their powers of destruction and ruin, agents and powers of evil all subject to Him. All this leads to trumpets of warning judgment being sounded by angels who blow them at command of the Lamb. The dragon and the beasts are under His sway allowed to have their day attacking God’s people with varying degrees of ferocity. But connected with this vision is a shorter one, where He, the Lamb is seen feeding His flock, even as they are coming out of the times of terrible pressure (Revelation 7:17). He sustains the whole innumerable host of His people by ministering to their hearts. The suffering church is not facing its tribulation alone; the Lamb is their shepherd and gives pastures and water to their souls.
But, the story is not ended yet, for we long to see the Name of the Lord vindicated, the enemies judged and punished and the saints of God manifested to His glory! Now John sees the final revelation of Jesus as He comes in great power for the final battle, He rides a white horse and moves in fearsome judgment. We know that it is not a literal horse nor is it a literal sword with which He makes war but with a word of His mouth the enemies are overcome and cast into the lake of fire, itself doubtless a symbol. It is a terrible sight but a glorious one too and we rejoice to behold in visionary form the end of all that offends, and know that all has been accomplished in utter justice and not simply naked power. And thus is ushered in, to John’s wondering eyes the vision of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1). The end of the old is the birth of the new where God Himself is with His people and they with Him (Revelation 21:3). Let us all, in the light of these things portrayed so graphically in this series of visions remember that they are bracketed by the certainty that Jesus is coming (Revelation 1:7 &22:7,12,20). Be glad and rejoice and say aloud with life and lip “even so, come Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). We are in the midst of this story; we are caught up in it and must bear our testimony to Jesus in our day.
