The Suffering and Safety of the Redeemed
A Sermon on the Symbolism of Revelation
Originally preached March 25, 1955
Scripture
Sermon Description
Symbolism is a regular part of life. Symbolism and pictures are used in language every day in order to help people better understand what they are trying to say. In this sermon titled “The Suffering and the Safety of the Redeemed,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones helps the listener better understand symbolism and the general themes of Revelation. This type of poetic language is everywhere in the book of Revelation, and it can sometimes be difficult to understand. Many of the symbols in this book are repeated, and Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that this is a type of parallelism. He sees the book as divided into two main divisions with various subsections. The first division is about the struggle of Christ and the church against unbelievers, while the second is regarding the struggle of Christ and the church against the devil. The battle between God and Satan, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is the ultimate battle, and this battle is most clearly represented through Scripture in Revelation. The purpose of this book is to unfold the glory of the Lord’s triumph. Through its symbolism, this book serves as a beautiful reminder to the believer of the joys to come at the end of time, but also a solemn warning to those who do not believe in Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is divided into 7 sections with parallelism and repetition. The 7 sections can be grouped into 2 big divisions - chapters 1-11 and chapters 12-22.
- Chapters 1-3 show Jesus among the churches. The 7 churches represent the whole state of the Christian church.
- Chapters 4-5 show the throne room of God and Jesus as the Lamb who is worthy to open the scroll. Jesus is in control of history.
- The opening of the seals in chapters 6-7 show what happens to Christians throughout history:
- The white horse represents the spread of the Gospel.
- The red horse represents persecution and martyrdom of Christians.
- The black horse represents poverty and economic hardship for Christians.
- The pale horse represents death through wars and violence.
- The souls under the altar cry out "How long?" representing the suffering of Christians.
- The 6th seal shows judgment on the persecutors of Christians.
- Chapter 7 shows that God will seal and protect his people before final judgment comes. The 144,000 represent the complete number of Christians from all ages.
- The book of Revelation shows the struggle between Christ and the church against evil powers, especially in chapters 12-22. But it also shows the final triumph of Christ and his people.
- The book of Revelation speaks to Christians of all ages because all ages have experienced suffering and persecution. It is a spiritual book that helps us live day to day.
Sermon Q&A
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on the Book of Revelation: Questions and Answers
What is the principle of recapitulation or parallelism in the Book of Revelation according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the principle of recapitulation or parallelism in Revelation means that the book is divided into seven sections that seem to be dealing with the same events but from different perspectives. He states: "The book is a book in which the different sections seem to be concerning the same things. But looked at in a slightly different way. And in order to bring out a particular and a differing aspect of the truth." This means that the book repeats the same storyline of church history from Christ's first coming to His second coming, but each time with a different emphasis or focus.
What evidence does Dr. Lloyd-Jones provide for the parallelism structure in Revelation?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides several pieces of evidence for parallelism:
- The use of identical time factors across different sections (42 months, 1260 days, "time, times and half a time")
- The same effects occurring when the trumpets are blown (chapters 8-9) and when the vials are poured (chapter 16) - both affect the earth, sea, rivers, sun, etc., in the same order
- Multiple references to the same battle in different chapters (16:12, 19:19, 20:8)
- Each section ends with a picture of final judgment
- Similar patterns in other prophetic literature, like Daniel chapters 2 and 7, which describe the same empires but in different ways
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones divide the Book of Revelation into major sections?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones divides Revelation into seven sections that can be grouped into two major divisions:
- First major division (chapters 1-11):
- Chapters 1-3: Christ among the churches
- Chapters 4-7: The opening of the seals
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Chapters 8-11: The blowing of the trumpets
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Second major division (chapters 12-22):
- Chapters 12-14: The woman and the dragon
- Chapter 15-16: The pouring of the vials
- Chapters 17-19: Babylon and its fall
- Chapters 20-22: The final judgment and new creation
What is the key difference between the two major divisions of Revelation according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the key difference between the two major divisions is the level of spiritual conflict they reveal:
"In the first section you have got an account of the struggle of the Christ himself and the church against men, against unbelieving men... But when you come on to the second section, beginning at chapter 12, what you've got here is not so much the struggle of Christ and his church against men... What you've got here is the struggle of the Lord Jesus Christ and his church against the powers that are behind the world, the powers that are behind evil men in the devil and all his assistants and associates."
The first section (chapters 1-11) shows the visible conflict between the church and unbelieving people, while the second section (chapters 12-22) reveals the deeper spiritual conflict with Satan and demonic powers operating behind human opposition.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones interpret the seven churches in Revelation 1-3?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones rejects both the purely historical view (that these were just seven specific churches that existed then) and the chronological view (that they represent successive church ages). Instead, he interprets the seven churches as representing the various conditions found in the church throughout all of history:
"Seven, again, is the perfect number that is used to give us an account of the whole state of the christian church. In other words, I'm suggesting to you that if you read your church history you will find in the church universal on earth churches, conditions amongst christian people, corresponding to what is described in the letters to the seven churches. It's true today."
He even suggests these conditions are found simultaneously in any congregation: "I am quite certain that in this congregation, at this moment, there are people who correspond to what you read in the description of the seven churches in all these different states and conditions."
What is the significance of Revelation chapters 4-5 according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Revelation chapters 4-5 provide a crucial foundation before describing the tribulations Christians will face. These chapters:
- Show the glory, might, majesty and holiness of God on His throne
- Present Christ (the Lion of Judah appearing as a slain Lamb) as the Lord of history
- Provide assurance that despite coming tribulations, the sovereign Christ is in control
As Lloyd-Jones puts it: "Before it begins to tell you of the things that are going to happen to you as a christian, it starts by reminding you that your lord is on the throne, that he is the master and that he is reigning until all his enemies shall be made his footstool."
What does the sermon suggest about the meaning of the 144,000 in Revelation 7?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones interprets the 144,000 symbolically, not as a literal number of Jewish converts. He explains the symbolism:
- 3 represents the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
- 4 represents the whole earth or mankind
- 3 × 4 = 12, representing God's action toward the world
- 12 × 12 = 144, representing both Old Testament (12 tribes) and New Testament (12 apostles) believers
- 1,000 (10 cubed) represents perfect completion
Therefore, 144,000 symbolizes "the saving work of the blessed holy trinity. The saints of the Old Testament, the saints of the New Testament, the New Testament era, all of them brought together and absolutely perfect and complete." This interpretation is supported by Revelation 7:9, which describes "a great multitude which no men could number of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues."
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.