Priority Mail
If you are using a Bible reading plan (I hope you are!) and if the plan has you read the New Testament twice in the year, then whatever plan it is, you’re reading Revelation now or you’ve just finished it. Whether you approach the Apocalypse’s symbolism with relish, with reluctance, or with outright bewilderment, you know that it’s rich with meaning.
And if you’re paying attention at all, you know it’s important! John starts out by telling us where it comes from, then pronounces a benediction (1:3). He’s just said that he got the revelation from an angel, who got it from Jesus. So the blessing, pronounced on anyone who reads, listens to, and keeps what is written, most definitely comes straight from Jesus. I cannot conceive of a more powerful way the point could be made: pay attention!
As John sits down to write all this down and mail it to the seven churches (as he’s told to do in 1:11), he begins with a prayer. It starts in the middle of verse 5 and goes through verse 6. (Most versions, correctly I think, make a paragraph break here.) Here’s the prayer:
“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”
Have you ever stopped to notice this prayer? If it were in one of the apostolic letters it would probably get more notice. But in Revelation (a letter from Jesus!) we know what’s coming, right? The first big thing is the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2 and 3. Then the main event gets underway in chapter 4, and we’re off to the races with the symbolic imagery. The prologue in chapter 1 just doesn’t get that much attention.
Read over and savor that prayer. What has Jesus done? He loved us, freed us by dying for us, transformed us from dross into gold for the Father’s kingdom, and for a priestly role. In a preview of what the (symbolic) living creatures and elders will do in chapter 5, John ascribes to his Lord all glory and all power, forever. This prayer is the frame in which all the subsequent pictures are displayed.
What comes next? Another prayer!
“ ‘Look, he is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see him, even those who pierced him’; and all peoples on earth ‘will mourn because of him.’ So shall it be! Amen.”
At least, the appearance of the Amen suggests it’s a prayer. But really it’s a series of three quotes of earlier prophecies of Messiah’s glorious return. Concluded with saying the Amen twice! First by it’s meaning (“so shall it be”), then by the Hebrew word itself. Is this a prayer? I think so. And it’s a pattern we very likely follow ourselves. When we contemplate the promises of God, in our minds we say Amen. We take the promise, and we make it a prayer—“so shall it be, Almighty God, as you have promised.” Amen.
The Revelation closes with a very similar prayer (22:20):
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
John (and we) say, “I believe you! Please, please come soon!”
Between these is all the meat – some of us smack our lips at the full steak dinner, others of us are happy with a sippy cup of milk, although we might get some of the potatoes and peas too. I guess my point here is that, wherever we are on that spectrum, all of us can fully understand and join with a whole heart into John’s prayers. We’ve opened our mailbox, and here is a letter from our Lord! We don’t want to treat it like a mere puzzle. And we certainly don’t want to treat it like junk mail! It’s a loving letter, from him to me. I’m pretty sure what he has to say is wonderful! Even if, like the disciples, I don’t quite follow everything. This I know, though—he loves me, he freed me from my sins by his blood, he has consecrated me for his kingdom, he is coming. “To him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
Love, eagerly waiting, Paul
If you have any feedback, please contact me at: paul.zilmer@gmail.com