by George Sidney Hurd
-- “And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” (Rev 22:10-11) These closing words finalizing the book of Revelation have been enigmatic to many from all camps, whether they be Calvinists, Arminians or Universalists. For many years I puzzled over its proper application until just recently when it all became clear to my understanding in the early dawn hours as I laid awake meditating upon it. In this brief blog I will attempt to share with you what I believe it is saying. To me, the key to understanding its application was to put it in its proper context. From a child I was taught to read it as something future as if it was saying, “for the time is at hand. (when) He who is unjust, let him be (will be) unjust still, etc.” Many commentaries I consulted also interpreted it as though it referred to the future. Out of the forty commentaries I have, twenty-one of them understood it as meaning that one’s state will be permanently fixed at a certain point in the future. Thirteen of them saw it as applicable in the present, whereas six were noncommittal. However, in the context the angel was speaking to John concerning the way in which believers at that time were to relate to those who obstinately resist the truth and persist in an ungodly lifestyle. It is simply saying, “the time is short. Let them be...” The angel said, “the time is at hand.” Many are scandalized by that since nearly 2,000 years have gone by and the time has not yet come. However, by divine intent it is not for us to know the times and the seasons which the Father has appointed, but rather, each generation is to live and labor with the expectation that they may be the final generation who lives to see Christ’s return (Acts 1:7-8; Matt 25:8; Rev 3:11; 22:7,12; Luke 12:42-46; 2Tim 4:8). I explain this with more detail in my book “Last Days, Past or Present?” Just as Peter prophesied, today there are many who mock believers who still live in the expectation of Christ’s soon return (2Peter 3:3,9). Jude warns us that many of these mockers will actually come from within the churches, causing divisions (Jude 1:4,16-19). In essence, the angel said to John: “The time is too short to allow yourselves to become distracted by the obstinate sinners and detractors who despise God’s precious Word in order to justify their ungodly lifestyle. Rather than casting your pearls before the swine, when it becomes evident that they do not want to retain the knowledge of God, let them go their way. Focus your energies instead on living a life of purity and righteousness before them.” Meditating upon this passage, I was reminded of the man called Obstinate in Pilgrim’s Progress who went after Christian and Pliable to try to persuade them to return to the city of Destruction. Here I quote the conversation they had with him in the way: Obstinate: “What are the things you seek, since you leave all the World to find them?” Christian: “I seek an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away; and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time appointed, on them that diligently seek it. Read it so, if you will, in my Book.” Obstinate: “Tush.” “Away with your Book! Will you go back with us, or no?” Christian: “No, not I, because I have laid my hand to the Plough.” Obstinate: “Come then, neighbor Pliable, let us turn again, and go home without him. There is a Company of these crazed-headed coxcombs, that when they take a fancy by the end, are wiser in their own eyes than seven men that can render a Reason.” Pliable: “Don't revile. If what good Christian says is true, the things he looks after are better than ours. My heart inclines to go with my Neighbor.” Obstinate: “What! More Fools still? Be ruled by me, and go back; who knows whither such a brain-sick fellow will lead you? Go back, go back and be wise.” Christian: “Nay, but do thou come with me, neighbor Pliable; there are such things to be had which I spoke of, and many more glories besides; if you believe not me, read here in the Book, and for the truth of what is expressed therein, behold all is confirmed by the Blood of him that made it.” Pliable: “Well, neighbor Obstinate, I begin to come to a point, I intend to go along with this good man, and to cast in my Lot with him. But, my good companion, do you know the way to this desired place?” Christian: “I am directed by a man whose name is Evangelist, to speed me to a little Gate that is before us, where we shall receive instructions about the Way.” Pliable: “Come then, good neighbor, let us be going. Then they went both together.” Obstinate: “And I will go back to my place. I will be no companion of such misled fantastical fellows.” I believe that the angel was telling John the revelator that we are to let the “Obstinates” we meet along the path go their own way. Once it becomes evident that they have no heart for God and despise His Word, rather than continuing to insist, we are to let them continue on their own way. On the other hand, we ourselves are to focus upon a life of purity and holiness before God and others in order that even the Obstinates we meet along the way may glorify God in the day of their visitation (1Peter 2:12). Rightly understood, it is referring to something that we are to do, rather than something which God will do. It is in the imperative mood, “(you) let him be unjust still…” It doesn’t refer to some eschatological abandonment by God. Contrary to what many affirm, God does not abandon anyone forever. Jeremiah says: “For the Lord will not cast off for ever: 32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. 33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.” (Lam 3:31-33) Having said that, nevertheless God Himself will often cast off or reject the obstinately wicked for a time in judgment. However, the end of the Lord is always good. Before Jerusalem was sieged and its inhabitants taken into captivity in Babylon because they persisted in their wicked ways, the Lord said to them: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon… 10 After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer 29:4,10-11) We here see that even though God delivered them over to the enemy and sent them into captivity for 70 years, He did not cast them off forever and His plans for them were good, always with a view to their final restoration. If we want to have the Lord’s heart towards all mankind we must look beyond the severity of His judgments and see that the end result is good – it ends in restoration, not eternal rejection. As James said: “You have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.” (James 5:11 ASV) The companion passage which appears in the book of Daniel sheds more light on the nature of these individuals and how we are to relate to them. They are seen to be blinded to the truth because sin and darkness has blinded their understanding. In Daniel’s day he was told to seal up the vision because the time had not yet come, whereas the angel said to John: "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.” Both speak of the same groups of individuals that will be present in that day: “And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” (Dan 12:9-10) These two passages complement one another. Daniel says that the wicked will not understand revelation even if we try to explain it to them. In Revelation it says of the same individuals: “let them go their way.” Paul said something very similar concerning the times we are living in. He said: “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For THE TIME WILL COME when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 BUT YOU be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim 4:2-5) Paul explains that in the last days God will release a deluding influence upon those who do not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And FOR THIS REASON God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2Thess 2:8-12 cf. Rom 1:28) So here we see that, since they did not receive the love of the truth in order to be saved – choosing rather to continue in their unrighteous lifestyle, God in judgment gives them over to a strong deluding influence, causing them to believe the lie of Satan. In Daniel it again speaks of the same individuals who will be deceived in the last days by the Antichrist: “Forces from him (the Antichrist) shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand.” (Dan 11:31-33 ESV) The spirit of deception operating in the time of the Antichrist will seduce all those who do not love the truth of God’s Word and take pleasure in unrighteousness through the use of flattering speech (ie. smooth deceitful words). Jesus said that if possible, even the elect would be deceived during this time (Matt 24:24). This implies that the deception will be so subtle and persuasive that it will even confuse for a time some of the very elect. Yet the elect – those who truly know their God, will be strengthened and will be mobilized by the Holy Spirit of God. They will be instrumental in bringing many into an understanding of God’s truth, resulting in an innumerable multitude escaping the deception of the Antichrist and being saved during the Great Tribulation (Rev 7:14). Seeing our passage in Revelation 22:10-11 in the light of the passages in Daniel, we see that they are both referring to the same individuals who, because they refuse to retain the knowledge of God, will be given over to a debased mind and vile passions. God does not obligate man to bow in adoration. He seeks those who voluntarily worship Him in spirit and truth (Jn 4:23-24). Paul in Romans describes how God abandons those who persistently resist the knowledge of Him to their own lusts: “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 FOR THIS REASON God GAVE THEM UP to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased (adókimos, “disapproved, rejected, reprobate”) mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” (Rom 1:25-28) When an individual obstinately rejects the knowledge of God, walking instead after their own desires, He simply delivers them over to the lusts of their own heart and the power of the enemy who always seeks his opportunity to wreak havoc in our lives (1Cor 5:5; 1Tim 1:20; 1Peter 5:8). When Paul said that “God gave them over to a debased mind,” the word here translated as “debased” is adókimos, which is the opposite of dókimos meaning “approved.” The word dókimos and its cognates are terms commonly used in the context of the refining of precious metals. [1] The desire of the Master Refiner is to find purity in us rather than dross or scum. If the refiner puts the metal to the test and it is still full of impurities, it is set aside as adókimos or “disapproved.” However, the disapproved metal still contains that which is precious to the refiner. Although it is disapproved, it is not discarded as worthless. Rather it is set aside for the refiners “lake of fire” or crucible. I deal with this subject in more detail in my blog: “Sulfur, Salt and the Refiner’s Fire.” Six of the eight times adókimos is used in the New Testament it is translated as “reprobate” in the King James Version instead of “disapproved,” which is unfortunate due to the picture “reprobate” paints in the religious mind. Often when we hear the word “reprobate” applied to an individual we think there is no hope for that person. However, in the context of the refiner it simply means that it is set aside for further purification in the fire. God’s chosen people Israel were once in that condition as we see described in Ezekiel: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 18 ‘Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.’ 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21 Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’” (Ezek 22:17-22) This is what the Lord must do in order to purify the disapproved (adókimos). However, this does not speak of eternal rejection in the sense of unending. The fifth verse of the hymn, “How Firm a Foundation,” communicates a truth that many fail to see: “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply; The flame shall not harm thee; I only design Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.” The fire only continues until the dross is consumed and we come forth as pure gold. As severe as the furnace of fire was for Israel, it culminates in their final restoration as we see a few chapters later: “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezek 36:24-26) So, the message of Revelation 22:10,11, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still” is not saying that one’s destiny is eternally fixed at a future point in time, as many have understood it. In his concluding remarks the angel tells us to let go of people who are determined to go their own way and focus rather upon a life of purity and holiness in order that, even if they do not receive the word they may later be won over by your godly conduct on the day of their visitation (1Peter 2:12; 3:1-2). We shouldn’t waste our time and energies trying to pick unripe fruit or trying to force the precious truths of God’s Holy Word upon those who persistently despise and profane them (2Tim 3:15-17). Jesus expressed the folly of this endeavor in words stronger than I would choose in today’s politically correct society. He said: “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” (Matt 7:6) Paul likewise did not spare words, telling us to avoid those who always resist the truth – especially in the latter days when the departure from the faith once and for all delivered to the saints will be so prevalent: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved (adókimos) concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” (2 Tim 3:1-9) Paul said in like manner as the angel said to John in Revelation 22:10,11, that the time is at hand and therefore we should turn away from those who are always learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth – those who always resist the truth and are disapproved concerning the faith. If there was ever a time when we should heed these words, it is now! [1] NT:96, adókimos – “not standing the test, not approved; properly of metals and coin” Thayer's Greek Lexicon, 
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |