Revelation

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. Remember then what you received and heard; obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.If you conquer, you will be clothed like them in white robes, and I will not blot your name out of the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. ~ Revelation 3:1-6
Revelation is less about doom-and-gloom, and more about gardens that will bloom. It's a book of hope - costly hope - but hope nonetheless. It's about following the slaughtered lamb while forsaking the values of Empire that compete for our imaginations. ~ Pr. Kurt Willems
Revelation maybe more than some of the other books in Scripture, is a perfect example of how we can read God's word on multiple levels.  Perhaps no book in the Bible has been more misread or misrepresented, but even those misreadings and misrepresentations I think come from an honest attempt at connecting with this text.  
John of Patmos wrote Revelation to a specific audience - to specific churches, specific people in a specific time.  And yet there is still plenty for us to hear in our churches, among our people and in our time. "Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches."
That you can read scripture on multiple levels does not diminish the power on those pages.  In fact, I'd say quite the opposite.  Even God cannot be fully contained within its pages. That I don't believe that Revelation is a cut and dried picture of our end times, does not mean that I don't believe Revelation is important.  The Spirit, John tells us, is speaking.  
That's always important!
My experience has been that Revelation is best read in a group.  It is best read with others who can help you suss out the imagery and allegory.  It is best read with others who perhaps have some experience with the text, who can help you see God's words of gospel - good news - in the text.
It is best read as a book of faith and confession and hope, not as a book that seeks to condemn.
It's an intimidating book.  One I shied away from for a long time because for a while I thought the Left Behind series had cornered the market on it.
There is good news in Revelation.  The Spirit, John says, is speaking.  Speaking to the churches then and speaking to the churches now.
Our faith helps us to listen!

God of Revelation and hope, help us to listen as your Spirit blows through our lives.  Amen.

Thoughts for engagement:

- What has been your experience with the Book of Revelation? A Bible Study? The Left Behind Series? None?
- Take some time to look through this outline of Revelation, as well as some of the other material here.

http://www.enterthebible.org/newtestament.aspx?rid=66

Does it make things clear for you? Fuzzy? What are some of the things that jump out at you? 




Popular posts from this blog

But we had hoped

Now on that same day two (disciples) were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles  from Jerusalem,  and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,  but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.  And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad.   Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?”  He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,  who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,  and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him.  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.  Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place.  Mo
Read more

Resurrection Run

For the week after Easter, some deeper dives into the Resurrection . When (the women) looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”  So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. ~ Mark 16:4-8 No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach; the same restlessness; the yawning. ~ CS Lewis The cave you fear to enter holds the  treasure
Read more

God's People: Abram

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.  I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” ~ Genesis 12:1-3 Abram was Shem's great times seven grandson. And sometime in between Shem and Abram was the Tower of  Babel. God's creation had begun in a garden, and with sin, creation spread east of Eden. As the selfishness of sin continued, God pulled the reins in and brought creation back to a smaller size, managed by one family. But before too many generations, that family grew and spread and once again became embroiled in trying to compete with God. And so God, with Babel, sent creation scattered off near and far. So when we meet Abram - already an old man - he is part of one of the many tribes
Read more