Revelation Revealed

by Jim Reynolds⁽¹⁵⁾

Picture John. Alone on the island of Patmos, exiled instead of executed perhaps because, by this time, he is an old man. He is seated, but not twisted into a contemplative guru pose; it is simply that kneeling is so difficult. Minutes ago, he was praying, deep wrenching requests for those few friends who are still alive and untouched by the Emperor’s persecution. Prayers for the churches also, always the churches. And the leaders of those churches. He mingled those requests with loving worship and remembrance of the One, his dear friend who was also the Messiah, Jesus.

John is “in the Spirit” and overwhelmed. The visions, though they are fading like a morning dream, have spiked his pulse. He is sweating and trembling, attempting to gather himself. His ears are still ringing. The sheer volume of the “trumpet voice” and the other sights and sounds he has just experienced still echo through his head and emotions. This Voice commanded him: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches.” The gravity of what he just saw settles on him not unlike a stone being laid on his chest, compressing his elderly lungs.

If we take Revelation at face value (and I think we are always safest to do so with Biblical texts) John has just seen the end of the world. If he watched a true picture of the future, he just witnessed billions of people do what Job would not: curse God and die. In his vision, he saw rivers of blood and the maw of hell itself opened wide, exposing the lake of fire and its damned.

Granted, John also explored the center of heaven. He, like Isaiah, saw The Throne and One seated upon it, high, holy, and exalted. “New” songs lifted him to unprecedented worship. John must surely have wondered if the lights and unnamable colors would blind him. I wonder how quickly he recorded these visions. He, of course, did not want to lose one vivid detail, but I would guess he also sat, stupefied into a shocked silence. The Voice, of course, continued to court him: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it…”

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” John wrote, in obedience to the Voice.

I believe John’s description to be the most complete picture of the glorified Jesus recorded in the Bible. When Peter, James, and John saw a piece of Jesus’ glory on what we call the Mount of Transfiguration, they first must have babbled incoherently. Words are recorded, but Mark tells us, “(Peter) did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Matthew tells us they fell at Jesus’ feet – something they had already done several times. Other places in Scripture record people falling at Jesus’ feet. When the disciples see the resurrected Christ for the first time, they worship at His feet. They touched Him to make sure He was real and not a ghost. But, in Revelation, John falls at Jesus’ feet “AS THOUGH DEAD” ( Rev. 1:17.) This was not an orchestrated worship move. John did not sense in His Spirit that he should bow and submissively (and self-consciously) obey. John saw the barely veiled glory of Jesus and it dropped him instantly.

This is a picture of Jesus we desperately need to see, especially in difficult days. The bottom line of my exploration over the next few weeks is this: towering over the unfathomable events recorded in the rest of John’s Revelation is this Figure of unlimited power, wisdom, love, and justice. Were it not for Jesus appearing in barely unveiled glory, the rest of Revelation would be incomprehensible and unthinkable. But here He stands, evident from the very first words: “the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave…” Here He stands, revealed.

We will not see it again for several weeks, but Jesus alone is “worthy” to bring time to a close by taking the scroll from the right hand of God. Jesus alone is worthy of the worship that will encompass all of creation. This is not the meek and mild Jesus of a manger. He no longer resembles the collapsed figure on the cross some of us wear around our necks or view in our churches. Even the tomb bursting open as we will celebrate in a few weeks cannot compare to this fully glorified Christ.

Think of it: the fully glorified Jesus Christ is the only one “worthy” to preside over the end of the world. Therefore, dear reader, He is imminently capable of handling whatever crisis or trauma that you think is ending yours.

Walk WITH Jesus,

Jim

Article submitted Friday, April 08, 2011 & read 306 times.

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» left by Teresa^(1,657) (1 year 38 days ago.)

A powerful reminder of what really matters. It refreshes the weary soul.

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