I started reading the book of Revelation recently. Revelation is the Apostle John’s recount of a vision he had of heaven. He talks a lot about the end of the world. And I can’t even pretend to understand half of it. The thing about Revelations is that no one gets it. There’s Something on a throne who looks like jasper and carnelian with a green rainbow. Around the throne there are 4 creatures made of eyes who sing praise to God and 24 crowned, white-robed elders (I picture the Black Riders from Lord of the Rings in white) who bow down and worship while the creatures sing. I just can’t relate to that.
In the past understanding Revelations has meant getting a clear image of what is going on. To do that, I’ve heard time-lines (this phenomenon will take 3 ½ years, and it must happen after this country invades that one) and a cast of characters (the 24 elders represent such and such). Somehow, that just doesn’t do it for me. One of my pastors says “The Bible isn’t just about what happened, it’s about what always happens.” I like that. So what does it look like to apply that to Revelations? Is it logical to extend that thinking and say that Revelation isn’t just about what will happen, but what always happens? I think so.
If I chuck out every idea of trying to forecast the return of Christ, if I’m not searching for clues about who the anti-christ is/will be, what am I left with? I’m left with a picture of God. And that picture is unsettling to say the least. The Father is described as something unutterably other. Jesus is a slain lamb with seven horns and seven eyes. It sounds more like a sci-fi horror film than my picture of heaven. My picture of heaven is safe and comfortable. Revelations’ picture of heaven is slightly disturbing. The LORD is depicted as someone you don’t mess around with.
What has this high, holy God to do with me? This is where Revelations gets really intense. There is one part where the bloody super-lamb comes on scene, and all the alien hybrid creatures sing to it. “Worthy are you… for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Did you get that? This God, who I can’t even picture in my head, who has his own theme song and a band that follows him around singing it all the time, this God was slain so that I could be a person for Him. This God has made me part of a kingdom and found me worthy to be a priest.
I still have no idea who the 24 elders are. I cannot fathom what is meant by “the seven spirits of God.” Strangely, though, I don’t mind. Because what I notice is that the 24 elders, the 4 creatures, the emerald rainbow, all of these things are not what Revelations is about. Everything in Revelations is about Jesus. When I follow the line of thought in Revelation, I arrive at a picture of a formidable Christ who is oddly compelling. I want Jesus to say the safe, suffering servant, not the courageous, conquering king. But this Jesus, who could kick some serious ass, is on my side. This Jesus set aside his authority, his ability to crush his enemies with his little finger, to become the suffering servant. And he did that so I could have relationship with the bad-ass Jesus and the mysterious Father. This is a Jesus who is worthy of being praised for eternity. Amen.
