Redirecting our Focus to the Reign of God
October 31, 2008
On this Halloween, I thought I would cautiously lead us to the haunted house of the New Testament: the book of Revelation. Some avoid it like kids dodging Old Man Wilson’s place ever since his wife “disappeared,” while others get a thrill out of rushing into its fantastical and grotesque images. Since today is also Reformation Day, it is perhaps worth noting that those in the first, more timid category are in good company, as John Calvin wrote commentaries on every New Testament book except Revelation, admitting that it was too difficult to interpret decisively.
Holidays aside, I believe the book of Revelation, for all its eccentricities, is a book for our times. In particular, as we see the economic and political landscape of the world changing before our eyes, Revelation does for us what it did for the early church: turns our eyes to the ultimate reality of God’s reign and issues “a call for the endurance and faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:10). For this reason we are going to read through Revelation together during the month of November.
Since Revelation is less than half the size of John’s gospel, which we read in October, I am going to suggest an unusual way to approach the reading. The first week we will skim through the entire book, getting a feel for the sights and sounds. Then we will take the remaining three weeks of November to read through it more slowly. As we read through Revelation, I want to offer a handful of suggestions:
–Remember what kind of book it is: a letter that uses apocalyptic language to describe the times (in the first century) and tell of what is to come.
–Keep in mind one of the central purposes of the book: to call God’s people to conquer (this is the common thread in the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2-3), and ask how the book reveals that God’s people are to conquer.
–Resist the urge to plug in current events and nations and figures; that’s not the point of the book, and the church has a long history of wrong guesses!
–This is a book of pictures, as John was told to “write what you see in a book” (1:11), so look for key images that John repeatedly records. Pause over images that have obvious meaning and do not jump to conclusions on the ones that are unclear.
–Observe the parallel depictions of what is taking place in heaven and what is taking place on earth, and note how these two merge in the end.
–Note the rise and purpose of the “unholy Trinity”–the dragon, beast, and false prophet (12-13, 16:13)–that wars against the holy Trinity (1:4-5).
–Worship our great God with all the saints and heavenly beings!
May God use this month of reading and rereading to keep our eyes fixed on that which is ultimate reality: his glorious reign and presence among his people.
Pastor Chris