“Word for Today” – Revelation 13 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
In 2007, one of the most captivating displays of raw talent ever seen was aired on the primetime hit “America’s Got Talent” in the voice of Terry Fator. Terry is ventriloquist, now residing in Las Vegas, where he signed a contract worth a reported $100 million to be the headliner at the Mirage Casino. He rose to fame after winning “American’s Got Talent” with his turtle puppet singing a rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” a song which is not easy to perform even when you can move your lips!
I have always been fascinated by ventriloquists, most likely because I’ve never been able to throw my voice. Although I’ve tried my hand at ventriloquism, my lips inevitably manage to move and I sound more like a grunting gorilla than a seasoned entertainer. So much for my Vaudeville career.
In our text for today from Revelation 13, we are introduced to a strange character: “Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb” (verse 11). Throughout John’s vision in Revelation, the image of a lamb has served to refer to Christ, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But this lamb seems to be of a different, if not even of a sinister, sort. And indeed he is. For John continues, “He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon” (verse 11). Satan, it seems, is trying to play the part of the Lamb of God. He “performs great and miraculous signs” (verse 12) and even dresses himself up like Christ. But Satan is not a very good ventriloquist. He may look like Christ, but he can never sound like Christ. For the lies and blasphemies that Satan utters can never sound like the truth and grace that Christ declares.
Jesus warns his disciples, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible” (Matthew 24:24). John’s vision in Revelation 13 is the fulfillment of Christ’s prophecy in Matthew 24. And Christ warns that these false christs – these demons who look like lambs, but in reality are dragons – will try deceive even the elect saints of God.
How are we to keep ourselves from being deceived by such deluding demons? By listening to what they say. For although Satan may be able to fake Christ’s appearance, he can never fake Christ’s voice. As Jesus himself promises, “My followers will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice” (John 10:5).
Sadly, there are many false teachers in the world today. And, just as Jesus and John warn us, they teach untruths and half-truths about Christ and his gospel. Some teach that all paths lead to God rather than the path of Christ alone. Others teach that if you just have enough faith in God, you will no longer have troubles or trials of any kind. Still others teach trumped up doomsday versions of the apocalypse and the end of the world, meant to strike fear rather than to engender faith into the hearts of those who hear them. These are all false teachings. For these all contradict what the Lamb of God says in his Word. And no matter how lamb-like these teachers may look, it’s what they say that counts.
Are you following the voice of the Lamb of God alone, or dissenting voices that do not parrot the voice of Christ? As Christians, we are called to listen and to learn from the voice of the Lamb of God alone. This is why we are to read the Scriptures. This is why we are to pray. This is why we are to receive wise counsel from trusted Christian friends. So that we never get taken in by a counterfeit Christ. And, by God’s grace, we won’t. For by God’s grace, we know the Lamb’s voice. My prayer is that you hear, follow, and obey his voice today.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 12 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
In 1890, the then thriving Anchor Buggy Company, the largest producer of buggies in the world, published the ad pictured here. What this ad has to do with horse drawn buggies, I have no idea, but nevertheless, it featured what has become a world-famous optical illusion. Who is this woman? Is she young and in her prime or old and in her twilight years? It depends on how you look at it. Of course, one should not miss the caption under the picture: “You see my wife, but where is my mother-in-law?”
Anchor’s business was never the same after that. After all, you never mess with a mother-in-law!
In our reading for today from Revelation 12, we see a strange sight:
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. (verses 1-5)
What is John talking about here? A heavenly woman? A male child? A fierce dragon? Perhaps we know this story better as it’s told by Luke:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7)
The story of Revelation 12 is the story of Luke 2. It is the story of Jesus, told from a heavenly perspective. But from a heavenly perspective, it looks a little different. Rather than a quiet stable, we have a roaring dragon. Rather than a meager-looking infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, we have a conquering child wielding an iron scepter. Much like the Anchor Buggy Company’s famed optical illusion, the story of Jesus has two sides: The side we see here on earth and the side seen by the angels in heaven. From an earthly perspective, it looks merely like a non-descript birth. From a heavenly perspective, however, it is revealed as a cosmic battle between God and Satan. It just depends on how you look at it.
Many times, the course of our lives can seem bewildering, confusing, and mystifying. Many times, we are left wondering where we are going, what we are doing, and how we will survive the heartaches and challenges of this world. It is during these times that we need to remember that our earthly perspective is not the only perspective there is. There is God’s heavenly perspective as well. And God’s heavenly perspective is this: That we have “overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony” (verse 11). From God’s heavenly perspective, no matter what trial, tragedy, or trouble from Satan we may face, our victory is secure, for we have overcome the dragon by the blood of the Lamb. And so, when our earthly perspective leaves us feeling despondent and defeated, never forget that from God’s heavenly perspective, the outcome of our trials is sure and certain: We have and we will overcome. And that’s the way we should look at it.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 11 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
“Can I get a witness?” Everyone from Marvin Gaye to Run DMC has spoken these words. The origin of this phrase dates back to nineteenth century African American Christian congregations. In the midst of a culture that sorely oppressed them, African Americans would often rise to offer testimonies concerning God’s work in their lives. After hearing their sometimes moving, sometimes miraculous, sometimes breathtaking stories, the pastor would then ask his congregation, “Can I get a witness?” With these words, the pastor was asking his congregation to praise God, to affirm his work, and to support their brothers and sisters in Christ, since many of them worked as slaves and were victimized by heinous discrimination and marginalization. It never took the congregation long to respond. “Amen!” they would boisterously shout. For they, in the midst of their trials, desired to be a witness and support to those testifying.
Revelation 11 opens with a story of oppression. The enemies of God are “trampling on the holy city for 42 months” (verse 2). The interpretations of what these 42 months refer to are legion. Especially notable, however, is that this time period mirrors that of the drought experienced by Israel under the reign of the wicked king Ahab. As the prophet Elijah declares to Ahab: “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Jesus later specifies the precise length of this drought: “In Elijah’s time, the sky was shut for three and half years and there was a sever famine throughout the land” (Luke 4:25). Three and half years, of course, is 42 months. Thus, for three and a half years, John says, there is a time of misery similar to that experienced by Israel during its terrible drought. But in the middle of this terrible drought, there appear two witnesses. As God declares:
And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (verses 3-6)
The actions of these two witnesses are remarkable. They can call forth fire to devour God’s enemies, much like Elijah did with pagan prophets in 1 Kings 18:22-40. They can also call for drought conditions just as Elijah did with King Ahab’s Israel. Not only that, but they can also turn waters into blood and call down plagues, intentionally echoing Moses’ actions in the exodus. In the midst of oppression, God gives his people a witness to his great work. Indeed, he even gives them witnesses. That is why John calls them “lampstands” in verse 4. For their mission is to shine God’s light in a dark world.
Perhaps you are in suffering oppression and tragedy right now. Maybe you are living through a period of “42 months.” Indeed, many scholars believe this reference to 42 months simply refers to the time span between Jesus’ ascension into heaven and return on the Last Day, during which the people of God are regularly persecuted and oppressed by those who hate them. If you know the sting of persecution and oppression because you are ridiculed at work or scorned at school or ostracized even by your own family because of your faith, then you probably want a witness. You probably want someone to recognize, affirm, and sympathize with you in your pain. You probably want someone who can relay to you God’s great works. You probably cry out, “Can I get a witness?” The good news of Revelation 11 is that God’s answer is, “Yes. I will give you Christian brothers and sisters – lampstands in a dark world – to stand beside you and celebrate my might works. You can have a witness. Indeed, you can even have witnesses. You are not alone.” Praise be to God.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 10 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
I am a man who loves a good burger. And so last week, when some friends invited me to lunch at Bigz Burger Joint, voted one of San Antonio’s best burgers, I could hardly resist. Unfortunately, however, no matter how much I may love a good burger, a good burger does not usually love me.
For several years now, I have fought a weak stomach. Greasy, spicy, or just otherwise tasty foods do not sit well with me. And Bigz, a restaurant, which caters to folks all over south Texas with a hankerin for red meat, definitely knows how to make ‘em greasy, tasty, and even spicy if you want to throw some jalapeños on your ground round. And so, when I walked into the barn-styled burger joint, complete with butcher table on its tables, I had a choice: a delicious burger which would surely upset my stomach or the more sensible choice of a salad, which would be good for both my weight and digestive tract.
I needed some Tums that evening.
In our reading for today from Revelation 10, as in Revelation 5, we are introduced to a heavenly scroll:
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” (verses 8-9)
John, in his vision, hears a voice from heaven offering him a “little scroll,” perfectly portioned to be bite-sized for the apostle to ingest.
This imagery of “eating” the sweet word of God is not unique to John. The Psalmist declares, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103). The prophet Ezekiel, in a vision which surely forms the basis for John’s encounter with this heavenly voice, is told, “‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth” (Ezekiel 3:1-3). Indeed, the very Hebrew word for “meditate” is hagah, meaning, “to chew.” And so, when the Psalmist opens the Psalter, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2), he is literally encouraging his reader to “chew” on God’s Word as he reads the Psalms. Thus, it is not unusual that John should be given a scroll to eat.
But there is catch to this scroll. John informs us: “I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour” (verse 10). The Greek here for “my stomach turned sour” is much more colorful. It reads, “The scroll pricked my colon.” Yikes! Talk about a case of colitis!
The meaning of this sour scroll is simply this: Although the Word of God may be sweet to John’s taste, it will not be sweet to the unrepentant people with whom he shares it. Indeed, they will not take kindly to, and even ferociously reject, John’s preaching.
Sometimes, sharing God’s Word is not easy. Sometimes, God’s Word is even met with ferocious rejection. Will you, like John, be willing to share the scroll of God’s truth even when others respond sourly?
Pastor Bill Hybels talks about the value of sharing “the last 10 percent” with someone. Oftentimes, Hybels says, when we need to have a difficult conversation with someone about a sin they are engaged in or about a change they need to make, we will tell them 90 percent of what they need to hear. Unfortunately, the last 10 percent, which, not coincidentally, is usually the toughest 10 percent, normally goes unsaid. This 10 percent is the sour scroll. It is the word that may be met by rejection or even retaliation. And yet, we are called to share even this last 10 percent.
So today, is there anyone with whom you need to have a difficult conversation? I know it’s challenging – and even frightening – to have a conversation that could turn sour, but as Christ’s disciples, we are called to share God’s truth. All of God’s truth. I hope you will.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 9 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
It seems that if you want to make a good horror movie, a fine place to start is with a terrifying title. And what could be more terrifying than the title, “Attack of the Giant…” and then you name the foreboding creature which will surely spell humanity’s demise? In a moment of idle curiosity, I googled “Attack of the Giant…” Here’s what I found: “Attack of the Giant Leeches,” “Attack of the Giant Squid,” “Attack of the Giant Baby,” “Attack of the Giant Gila Monster,” “Attack of the Giant Shrews,” “Attack of the Giant Ants,” “Attack of the Giant Spiders,” “Attack of the Giant Woman,” “Attack of the Giant Crabs,” and, last but not least, “Attack of the Giant Midget.” Wait a second. That last one doesn’t even make sense. It’s kind of like enduring an attack from a jumbo shrimp. But I digress.
I must confess that on first read, Revelation 9 sounds like a scene out of a low-budget, b-list horror movie:
And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. (verses 3, 7-10)
What in the world could John possibly be talking about here? Is he planning on producing a corny horror flick: “Attack of the Giant Locusts”?
John’s imagery of these giant locusts isn’t nearly as esoteric and absurd as it first sounds. For the plagues which accompany the trumpets often find their origins in the famed ten plagues which God sent against Egypt. So it is with these locusts. Just as locusts once attacked the godless Egyptians (cf. Exodus 10:1-18), locusts again attack the godless people of the earth. And just as God protected the Israelites throughout the course of the ten plagues (cf. Exodus 8:22-23), God also protects his people during this devastating disaster (cf. verse 4). The character of the locusts in Revelation, however, seems to be much different from the character of the locusts in Exodus.
John’s locusts, it appears, are demonic in nature. For they rise from the Abyss (cf. verse 2). Thus, these locusts are not to be taken as literal physical creatures, but as harrowing demons who sadistically bring trouble, trial, and tribulation on those who refuse to trust in the Lamb of God. And just like Pharaoh, who had a “hardened heart, and would not let the Israelites go” (Exodus 10:20), the people who suffer under the weight of these apocalyptic locusts “still do not repent of the work of their hands; they do not stop worshiping demons” (verse 20). With great irony, then, John informs us that the very demonic locusts who assail these unrepentant sufferers are the very demons who these unrepentant sufferers continue to worship. They worship the very things which harm them.
I often wonder how often we don’t do the same thing as the sad people who suffer under these oppressive locusts. I wonder how many times we don’t worship the very things which harm us. The bottle robs of us our liver. And yet we worship at the altar of our local bar. The career robs us of our family. And yet we worship at the altar of our desk. The lover robs us of our integrity. And yet we worship at the altar of our bed. We worship the very things which harm us. And Satan’s demonic locusts get the best of us.
Is there any harmful thing which, in spite of your better sense, you nevertheless worship? Now is the time to repent and worship the true God who loves you, protects you, and saves you. Now is the time to declare freedom from the locusts that lacerate your soul. Now is the time to worship not the locusts of sin, but the Lamb of salvation. For he promises “to turn back the enemies who would wound you and instead be with you. And when the Lord is with you, you will never again will have fear any harm” (Zephaniah 3:15, paraphrase). And that’s a promise no locust could ever make.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 8 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
One of my favorite movies is 1993’s “Groundhog Day.” In this movie, Bill Murray portrays a narcissistic, egocentric meteorologist named Phil Connors who begrudgingly travels from the television station where he works in Pittsburgh to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for their renowned Groundhog Day celebration. After giving a half-hearted report on the day’s festivities, Phil tries to leave Punxsutawney, along with his crew, only to be snowed in by a blizzard which forces them to stay an extra night. When Phil wakes up the next morning, ready and eager to leave this reviled township, he finds that it is February 2 all over again. The balance of the movie portrays Phil trying to exit Punxsutawney in sometimes comical, sometimes romantic, sometimes pathetic ways. But he remains perpetually trapped in Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day until he finally finds true love with a member of his crew named Rita and the movie ends.
Talk about a day that never ends. Over and over again, Phil tries to bring February 2 to its terminus. Over and over again, he is unsuccessful. It seems like Groundhog Day would have to end eventually. But it didn’t.
Perhaps you’ve had a similar, even if not so paranormal, experience. It seems like something would have to end eventually. But it doesn’t. You try to reach a destination, but the road in front of you seems to stretch endlessly into the horizon. You are caring for a baby who, despite your best efforts at feeding, diaper changing, and rocking, won’t stop crying. You are listening to a sermon, and again and again you glance at your watch, waiting and wondering, “When will this end?” It seems like these things would have to end eventually. But they don’t.
In our reading for today from Revelation 8, we reach what seems to be the end of John’s vision. For the world has suffered its final terrible moments as seals of destruction are opened, and chapter 7 then ends with what sounds like God’s final promise of salvation: “Never again will people hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:16-17). Chapter 8 then opens, “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (verse 1). Silence is a well-known image for the Day of the Lord in the Old Testament. As the prophet Zephaniah says, “Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near” (Zephaniah 1:7). John’s verbal and visual cues are unmistakable: the end of the world has come.
“Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them” (verse 6). What? I thought the world had already ended with the opening of the seven seals. What are these seven trumpets? It seems like the end of the world should have come. But it doesn’t.
There is much biblical literature, especially that of an apocalyptic and symbolic character, which progresses in a non-linear fashion. That is, the events explicated in some biblical stories are not so much sequential as they are thematic. Indeed, one of the most famous and obvious examples of this comes to us in the very first chapters in the very first book of the Bible. Genesis 1:27 informs us, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Thus, human beings come into existence. But then, in the very next chapter, we learn, “This is the account of the heavens and earth when they were created. The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:4, 7). God here creates a human being named Adam. But wait. I thought God already created humans in Genesis 1. What’s going on here? The author of Genesis is doing what many biblical writers do. He gives a preliminary description of an event and then comes back and takes another pass at it.
Such is what John is doing with his seven seals followed by his seven trumpets. These two sequences of “sevens” actually cover the same period of time, as told from two different perspectives. Indeed, the NIV translates verse 6 unfortunately when it begins, “Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.” The Greek word for “then” is kai, a simple conjunction meaning “and” rather than a temporal marker meaning “then.” Thus, John is saying, “I’ve given you one take at what the end of the world will look like. Now, I’m going to take another pass at it. Now, I’m going to give you a new perspective. I know it seems like everything should end, but in my book, it doesn’t. It’s going to be Groundhog Day all over again.”
So, as we continue our trek through Revelation, time has ended once. But it will end again. And for that matter, it will end again after that. After all, you can never talk about Christ’s return enough. That’s why I’m thankful for all the different perspectives that John gives us.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 7 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
7 x 13 = 28. At least, that’s what Lou Costello thought. In one of my favorite comedy sketches of all time, Lou tries to explain to his partner Bud Abbott, how his 28 freshly baked doughnuts can feed seven officers a hearty treat: 13 doughnuts a piece. Bud, standing amazed at such an absurdity, cannot contain his incredulity. “That’s ridiculous! What’s the matter with you?” he asks. To Lou, of course, it makes perfect sense. After all, if you take the 1 and the 3 of 13 and multiply 7 and 1, you get 7. Then multiply 7 and 3 which equals 21. Add 21 and 7 and you get…28! 7 x 13 = 28. Of course, 7 x 13 doesn’t really equal 28. That’s what makes the sketch funny. For although Lou is sincere in his calculations, he is sincerely wrong. His numbers just don’t add up.
In our reading for today from Revelation 7, John introduces us to one of his most controversial and contestable visions:
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. (verses 1-4)
144,000 people sealed by God? What’s this all about?
Fascinatingly, like Lou Costello trying to convince Bud Abbott that 7 x 3 = 28, John’s accounting doesn’t add up. John multiplies 12,000 individuals by the 12 tribes of Israel to arrive at his 144,000 who are sealed by God. Yes, 12,000 x 12 does indeed equal 144,000. That’s not what makes John’s accounting strange. What makes John’s accounting strange is his tribe listing:
From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000. (verses 6-8)
Nowhere in the Old Testament can we find the listing of tribes used by John. The tribe of Dan is omitted while a tribe never included among the Old Testament twelve, Levi, is included in John’s list, and Joseph is listed rather than his son Ephraim who is listed in the Old Testament enumerations. Moreover, the tribe of Judah appears first rather than Reuben, who is traditionally given primacy as the firstborn. In other words, John is doing math with a listing of tribes that, in the Old Testament, is non-existent!
Why would John do such a thing? After all, as a good Jew, John should know who the twelve tribes of Israel are! Why would he give us a listing of tribes that doesn’t add up?
John gives us a listing of tribes that doesn’t add up because he’s not meaning for us to add them up, at least as the historical twelve tribes of Israel. John’s interest is not in historical Israel, but in a new Israel, headed by the tribe of Judah, from whom comes “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5). John is interested in a new Israel, headed by none other than Christ himself. And this new Israel is none other than the church of God – you and me.
John’s numbering here, as is his listing of tribes, seems to be symbolic. The number 12 is associated with the church in Revelation (e.g., Revelation 21:14) and the number 1,000 is a Scriptural number for completeness (e.g. Psalm 50:10, 2 Peter 3:8). Thus, John’s point is simply this: All who trust in the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, are sealed for salvation! We need not fear “the great day of wrath” (Revelation 6:17) to come upon this earth, for we have been rescued by Christ! And just in case we miss his point, John spells it out for us using math that anyone can understand:
After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (verses 9-10)
John’s 144,000 turns out to be innumerable. No one can count them, for Christ’s salvation extends so far and so wide. And you and I are a part. You and I will be singing the song of the great multitude: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” I can’t wait to join in the chorus.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 6 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
“Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace. I wanna see my Savior’s face cause heaven is a wonderful place. I wanna go there!” Those are the lyrics to a song about I heaven I learned as a child. And these words are a great synopsis of what we are taught about heaven growing up: It’s wonderful! Jesus lives there! And we want to go there because of the eternal bliss and joy we will experience.
Indeed, heaven is a wonderful place. And that’s part of the reason why our reading for today from Revelation 6 seems so odd. As the chapter commences, the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is opening seals on a scroll, symbolizing the march of history toward its impending conclusion while its closing days are marked by sin-wreaked trouble. But there seems to be trouble not only on earth, but in heaven as well:
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed. (verses 9-11)
Instead of shouting for joy at the eternal glories of heaven, these souls are lamenting: “How long?” they cry. This is the same cry of despair uttered by the Psalmist when he writes, “My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long” (Psalm 6:3)? Similarly, the prophet Habakkuk complains, “How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save” (Habakkuk 1:2)? Lamenting? Complaining? Anguish in heaven? That hardly sounds right! After all, “heaven is a wonderful place!”
Yes, heaven is a wonderful place. That’s not the issue with the lament of these heavenly martyrs. The issue with these heavenly martyrs is that although heaven is a wonderful place, it’s not the final place. That place comes in Revelation 21:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
The conclusive place of history is not just a new heaven, but a new heaven and a new earth. It is the place where Satan is finally and fully conquered (cf. Revelation 20:10) and where sin, suffering, sorrow, and tears are no more (cf. Revelation 21:4). Thus, although heaven is a wonderful place, the martyrs in heaven, like us, are anxiously anticipating God’s final place which will arrive on the Last Day: His new heaven and earth. In the mean time, God tells these martyrs, “Wait a little longer” (verse 11).
Perhaps your life is racked and riddled by some tragedy, hardship, or terror. And perhaps you, like these heavenly martyrs, are crying out to God, “How long, O Lord? Why must I suffer such anguish?” If this is you, know this: God will rescue you, deliver you, and save you…even if you have to wait a little longer. And if you do have to wait a little longer, remember, the martyrs of heaven are waiting with you. And it seems to me, they’re pretty good company.
“Word for Today” – Revelation 5 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
In college, I had it down to an art. My English professor would assign a paper on a topic of total disinterest to me, such as, “Trace the themes of a A Tale of Two Cities and how Charles Dickens incited the later feminist critiques of authors like Kate Chopin and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.” My initial reaction to such an assignment was, quite honestly, one of utter disdain. “Yuck,” I would think to myself. “How boring.” But no matter how boring I may have thought the subject matter was, it was still a subject matter on which I had to write. And not only that, it was a subject matter on which I had to write ten pages! For that was the standard length of our college English papers. But that was okay. Because, as I said, in college, I had it down to an art. Change the margins from 1 inch to 1.25 inches on either side. Make sure I double-space everything. Include at least four headers in big, bold twenty-point type because that will save me from having to write at least a half-page of thoughtful text. And then, of course, type everything in Courier New. After all, nothing takes up more space than Courier New.
Although I’m ashamed to admit it now, when typing my college English papers, I had only one goal in mind: Type as little as possible while taking up as much space as possible. But then I got to seminary. And then I began typing papers on topics that interested me – really interested me. And all of a sudden, my formatting preferences changed. Only ten pages on 1 Corinthians 11? How can I possible do that? Change the margins from 1 inch to .5 inches on either side. Make sure I space-and-a-half, rather than double-space, everything to save room. Keep all my headers the same size as everything else because that will give me at least an extra half-page of thoughtful text. And then, of course, type everything in Goudy Old Style. After all, nothing takes up less space than Goudy Old Style.
In our reading for today from Revelation 5, we are introduced to a paper of sorts, written in fine first century style not on multiple 8 ½ x 11 sheets of paper printed off from a computer, but on a continuous scroll. There is, however, an especially notable characteristic of this scroll: “Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals” (verse 1). This scroll, John tells us, has “writing on both sides.” This would have been extremely rare, for usually, scrolls contained writing on one side only. The written side of the scroll, called the recto, had the fibers of a papyrus running horizontally, thereby making writing easier. Conversely, the unwritten side of the scroll, known as the verso, had the fibers of the papyrus ran vertically, making writing extremely difficult. This side, then, was usually used only for the title of the document. In some instances, however, if the author had a lot to say and not a lot of papyrus to write on, the author would use both sides of a scroll, making the scroll very unusual and very distinguished. Such is the case with this heavenly monograph. Apparently, the author of this work has a lot to say.
Another interesting feature of ancient scrolls was that in Roman society, wills, otherwise known as “testaments,” were sealed, as is this scroll, and could not be opened until the death of the person to whom the will belonged. At first John thinks this particular “testament” cannot be opened: “I wept bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (verse 4). But then, the person to whom the “testament” belongs is found worthy to open his own scroll. Why? Because he has died: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain” (verse 9). This worthy one, of course, is Jesus. Jesus can open his own scroll. And what is on this scroll that is so important and so weighty that Jesus would have to use both sides to contain his thoughts? It is none other than God’s message of redemption: “With your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God and they will reign on the earth” (verse 9-10). Jesus’ message of love for us is so extensive, so far-reaching, and so comprehensive that he has to use both sides of the scroll to contain it.
I have met more than one person who has encountered a trial, a tragedy, or a terror that has left them doubting God’s protection, grace, and love. If this is you, I would simply beg you to remember this simple promise and truth: The scroll has writing on both sides. God’s love for you has not failed, faded, or floundered. It is just as strong – and just as long – as it has always been. The scroll has writing on both sides. And that’s a better promise than even a seminary paper with .5 inch margins with space-and-a-half spacing in Goudy Old Style font. For that is a promise of God’s love. The scroll has writing on both sides. Praise be to God!
“Word for Today” – Revelation 4 – www.concordialutheranchurch.com
One of the most infamous moments in our political history came on March 30, 1981. On that day, would-be assassin John Hinckley, Jr. shot Press Secretary James Brady and President Ronald Ronald Reagan, missing his heart by less than an inch, shortly after Reagan had left a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Almost unbelievably, the shock and horror of that moment melted into laughter after Reagan’s Chief of Staff, Alexander Haig, made the following faux pa: “Constitutionally, gentlemen, you have the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State in that order, and should the President decide he wants to transfer the helm to the Vice President, he will do so. He has not done that. As of now, I am in control here, in the White House.”
Haig’s words were meant to try to ally the nation’s fears during a deep crisis, letting people know that things in Washington had not degenerated into some sort of anarchist free-for-all. They were received, however, as a laughable and even pathetic attempt on his part to exceed the limits of his authority. For he was not really in control there – in the White House. He just thought he was.
When John wrote Revelation, a man named Domitian, who is pictured above, was emporer of Rome. It was during Domitian’s reign that worship of the emporer as a divine god reached its height. It was Domitian who instituted the Capitoline Games, a celebration of who else, but Domitian. According to the German theologian and numismatist Ethelbert Stauffer:
When Domitian appeared in the circus, and took his seat beaneath the sacred canopy, in order to conduct the Capitoline Games…Domitian was enthroned, a golden wreath on his head…The spectators had to appear clad in white…Domitian loved to hear…the cry of “Hail to the Lord!”…Other forms of acclamation…were the following: Hail, Victory, Lord of the earth, Invincible, Power, Glory, Honour, Peace, Security, Holy, Blessed, Great, Unequalled, Thou Alone, Worthy art Thou, Worthy is he to inhert the Kingdom, Come, come, done not delay, Come again. (Christ and the Caesars, 155)
Do you think this guy had an ego problem? The first century Roman historian Suetonius relays that Domitian would begin his letters, “‘Our lord and our god commands so and so;’ whence it became a rule that no one should style him otherwise in writing or speaking” (The Life of Domitian XIII).
In our reading for today from Revelation 4, we are whisked away into what appears to be another kind of Capitoline games. There are spectators dressed in white (verse 4) who parody the cries of Domitian’s games and letters: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (verse 11). There is a throne, from which “came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder” (verse 5). But we don’t know who’s on the throne yet. Could it be that Domitian is not only the “lord and god” of the Roman Empire, but even the “lord and god” of heaven? Hardly. For in the next chapter, the one of the throne is identified: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13)! It is not Domitian who is on the throne, but the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is on the throne. Domitian is not in charge here – in the heavens. He just thinks he is.
The Lamb is on the throne. This is the message of Revelation 4. And in a world where there is so much uncertainty, chaos, and fear about the future, this is a great hope. The Lamb is on the throne. This means two things. First, it means that no matter what madness a tyrranical ruler may try to carry out, we need not fear, for they are not finally in charge. They just think they are. For the Lamb is on the throne. Second, it means that we too are not in charge of our lives and our destinies. Even if we think we are. For the Lamb is on the throne.
Today, is there something which you are seeking to control which you need to release to the Lamb who sits on the throne? If there is, I hope that you will trust this promise: You are not in control. Even if you think you are. For the Lamb is on the throne. And the Lamb will do a better job handling your harrying situation than you will anyway.
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