March 23, 2022

For about the past five months or so, a dedicated group of people took on the task of studying the book of Revelation – more properly, The Revelation of Jesus Christ to John. Chapter by chapter and verse by verse we made our way through this last, strange, and mystifying book of the Bible. It is full of symbols, visions, fantastical beasts, portents from heaven, and cosmic battles. And if you're paying attention, it also has a Christmas nativity story that, not surprisingly, does not grace the cover of any Hallmark Christmas card.

We wrapped up our study this past Sunday with a general debriefing. What did you learn? What surprised you? How has your opinion of Revelation changed? It was a good discussion as we reflected on how this last book of the Bible was a beautiful and appropriate bookend to the first book of the Bible.

There were three specific things that came out of that discussion that I want to share with you all.

First, Revelation is not a revelation of horror but a revelation of good news. In this book we hear from the victorious Jesus Christ, he who is and who was and who is to come, he who is the slaughtered Lamb yet who lives for ever. We hear this eternal Christ say, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them . . . let everyone who hears say, 'Come.' And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.”

In these and other passages, we hear of an overflowing love of God to his people and a desire to be reunited with humanity. That is a revelation of good news.

Second, over and over we are given glimpses of worship. In the midst of chaos, in the midst of war, at times you don't expect, angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven gather to worship the Lord. In these glimpses of heavenly worship we also see glimpses of our own earthly worship. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty . . . blessing and honor and power and might . . . and the incense with the prayers of the saints rose before God . . . Amen.”

We are reminded that the main activity of the Church is to worship. In both good times and bad, we worship the Lord with the saints and all the company of heaven in the beauty of holiness. May you remember that we are all surrounded by and part of that heavenly host every time we worship.

Third, Revelation is a book of victory and comfort. In the chaos and wars and oppression that we see in this world on a daily basis, we can take comfort in the words of Desmond Tutu who, in the midst of apartheid, said, “I've read the book . . . and We Win!!” That doesn't mean that we don't struggle or that we can cease to work for good, but that Revelation reflects a transcendent view of all eternity and puts it all into perspective. It reminds us that we live lineally, but God exists now. God is and was and is to come, therefore his name is I AM. And in Revelation we glimpse the intersection of linear time and eternal time.

As we continue to move through our time and through the Season of Lent, may you remember that the Lamb who was slaughtered is the Lamb who reigns for ever and ever. And may you remember that, no matter how bad things get, we are both partners and victors with Christ in the eternal good. Amen.