the Lion has conquered

Good evening friends,
Yesterday we started the Book of Revelation with Jesus appearing to John to tell him about what will happen soon. After a short message to each of seven churches in modern day Turkey, John is taken in the Spirit to heaven where he sees God sitting on a throne. Surrounding the throne are four "living creatures" who have several heads, wings and eyes all over. God is also surrounded by 24 elders (think 12 tribes of Israel and 12 apostles) sitting on thrones worshiping God around a sea like glass (remind you of a hymn?) The vision continues with today's reading where God ("the one seated on the throne") has a scroll that John knows must be important. Pay attention to how Revelation talks about conquering and what that might say to Christians about how we think about power.

God bless,
Sam
 

Revelation 5:1-10

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; ²and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. ⁸When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹They sing a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; ¹⁰you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth.”

a revelation from God

Good afternoon sisters and brothers,
Today's reading introduces us to the Book of Revelation, also known as the Revelation of John, because it is a revelation from Jesus to John. The purpose of the revelation is to strengthen John and the church. They faced persecution, and things would likely get worse before they got better. In that situation it was important for God to remind the church that God was in charge. That's the big picture message of Revelation: God's love wins in the end.

Revelation is hard to read because it is a vision. Like dreams, things happen in Revelation that don't make sense. The language is very symbolic and fantastical. Our passage today features Jesus with a sword coming from his mouth. I think the key to reading Revelation is to take it in stride. Don't try to figure out exactly what it "means" but look for the bigger message. While it is at times violent, over all Revelation is a message of hope for the church. We always need that hope, so listen to what the Spirit says to the church.

God bless,
Sam

Revelation 1:1-2, 9-18

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ²who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.

⁹I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet ¹¹saying, “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

¹²Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. ¹⁴His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, ¹⁵his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force. ¹⁷When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death and of Hades.