Faithful on Fridays Blog

Since these visions of John are not in sequential order let’s take a reprieve from the earth and the ‘unholy trinity’ stepping back into heaven again. God isn’t trying to confuse us with unsolvable riddles but enlighten our understanding with Biblical truths using pictures and symbols from the Old Testament.

We’ve seen some of these before, Jesus pictured as the Lamb, 144,000 representing redeemed believers, a Spirit-mark or seal, and sounds of storms and worship, however, we haven’t discussed Mt. Zion or firstfruits. Zion is the symbolic place of the presence of God (Ps. 125) but also the place where the Day of the LORD commences (Joel 2:1-2, 30-32, Matt. 24:29-31) and Jesus returns to earth with His triumphant church.

Open your Bible and refocus your spiritual lens picturing the throne room where Jesus is standing with His redeemed remnant saints who’ve endured in faith to Judgment Day. Having been sealed by the Spirit there’s a new song of worship on their lips; they’ve stayed true to the Lord as His Bride not polluting themselves with the world’s seductions and immorality, consequently, God considers them blameless.

So, what are ‘firstfruits’? It’s an Old Testament feast (Lev. 23:9-11) when three days after Passover an offering is presented to God of the first portion of a harvest. We know Jesus was the firstfruit of salvation rising from the dead after three days (1 Cor. 15:20-25). That’s not coincidental; these saints, following Jesus wherever He goes, are the first portion of the larger harvest that’s coming.

We meet several angels in these verses continuing to warn all people-groups that the time has arrived: Judgment Day. Symbolic Babylon, the world’s systems, have proven to be fruitless but is it enough to turn people’s hearts to God? Since there are only two possibilities for your eternal destiny, God’s presence or Satan’s, John is allowed to describe them both in this passage. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but with the Spirit’s empowerment and faith imparted into them they’ll stand triumphantly disregarding their outward circumstances. 

The Holy Spirit speaks again in verse 13 with a blessing of rest for those who’ve died in faith and an amazing promise; their deeds will follow them as they follow Christ. Your deeds, my friends, haven’t gone unnoticed by God. That act of kindness, that prayer, that helping hand, or word of encouragement is recorded in heaven. He knows what’s happening in your life and sends this invitation:

… you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God Himself, who is the Judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. Hebrews 12:22-23