Revelation 4–5, the scene shifts to the heavenly throne room where God holds a sealed scroll (Rev. 5:1). This scroll, FAP teaches, represents the covenant lawsuit against Israel—a concept straight out of the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah and Ezekiel. The Lamb (Jesus) is the only one worthy to open it, showing that He alone has the authority to execute covenant judgment (John 5:22). This ties directly to Psalm 110:1–2, where the Messiah rules in the midst of His enemies. The seals opened in chapters 6–8 portray the progressive judgments (war, famine, pestilence) that Jesus predicted in Matthew 24:6–8 as signs before Jerusalem’s fall.
By the time we reach the trumpet judgments in Revelation 8–11, the focus tightens on Jerusalem itself. Trumpets in the Bible are often tied to warnings and battle announcements (Numbers 10:9–10; Joel 2:1). The fifth trumpet’s “locust army” (Rev. 9:1–11) mirrors Old Testament descriptions of invading forces (Joel 1–2) and is seen by FAP as symbolic of the Roman siege. The seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15) announces, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ,” which FAP sees as the public enthronement of Jesus after judging the Old Covenant order. This is a Great White Throne moment—not the final end-of-history judgment, but a decisive ruling in history where God vindicates His people and condemns His enemies.
Now, you might wonder—how does the lake of fire fit in here when it isn’t mentioned explicitly until Revelation 20? FAP teaches that the lake of fire is a symbolic destination for all covenant breakers in any age, but its first-century fulfillment was seen in the destruction of Jerusalem, which Jesus Himself compared to Gehenna (Matt. 23:33; Mark 9:43–48). The trumpet and bowl judgments of Revelation are precursors to that covenantal “second death” imagery. Theologians pointed out that apocalyptic writing layers visions so later images (like the lake of fire) interpret earlier visions (like the destruction of “Babylon,” which FAP identifies with Jerusalem).
Finally, the two witnesses in Revelation 11, who are killed and then vindicated, serve as a microcosm of this whole judgment cycle. They represent the prophetic witness of the church and faithful believers before 70 A.D., whose deaths at the hands of the beast-like Jerusalem leadership are followed by resurrection and vindication. The Great White Throne courtroom scene later in the book is essentially the same covenantal verdict seen here—those written in the Book of Life stand, and those outside face the second death. For FAP, this isn’t just an ancient history lesson; it’s proof that Jesus rules now, that His judgments are just, and that His people can trust Him even when surrounded by opposition.
Reference:
Milton S. Terry, Biblical Hermeneutics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1890)
Former Adventists Philippines
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