Book of Revelation: Things are not what they seem.

When I hear that people are studying the book of Revelation, I get glassy eyed and think why would l read something about an apocalyptic fire, imaginary creatures with seven eyes and horns, and numbers such as 666 that I couldn’t even understand that provoke all sorts of wild speculation.

After taking on the book of Revelation at my bible study I soon found that "things are not what they seem." I didn’t need a decoder ring to decipher the versus. It wasn’t some sort of magical tale or treasure hunt to find the Holy Grail. I soon learned that if I read all the other books of the bible, Revelation is most of the bible in one book. You don't read Revelation to get more information but to bring to life our imagination.

“Apocalypse” comes from Greek, the original language of the Book of Revelation. It means “uncover, disclose, reveal.” In late 14th century Church Latin, it became “revelation.” In Middle English, its general sense was “insight” or “vision.” Its usage as “a cataclysmic event” is modern. Apocalyptic literature refers to the ancient Jewish and Christian documents that share common concerns, themes, and literary devices with the books of Daniel and Revelation and other literary apocalypses.

Apocalyptic literature seeks to unveil the unseen reality that is eternal and enduring from a transcendent view. To open the doors and pull back the curtain of the cosmos to get a better view of God and who He is and how He captures our imagination. Like in the Wizard of OZ we all want to know who is that man behind the curtain and we soon find out its Jesus. Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus and man’s relationship with Him through the letters of John the Elder renewing our imagination. For John it offers a cryptogram of images that his jailers could never understand. Pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that make no sense until the puzzle is put together. It's literature that not only comes to life, it is life!

The prophetic Word in Revelation brings God’s will and way of life for His children into the immediate through a visionary letter written by John imprisoned on the island of Patmos. It's written to both the suffering and to the proud who are comfortable with life by compromising their way of living with their religious beliefs. John writes with vivid imagery to have the prophetic Word come alive like a Sci-fi movie offering a true view of the cosmos. One that captures not only our imagination but our hearts if we are willing!

John writes blessed is the one who reads out load and takes to heart the words of his letter because our end time is near. Here he uses the root of blessed which means to find the right pathway in the face of false ones. Blessings are not just something we receive they are something that we do, to follow Gods Word, His rules of life while we walk with Jesus living through His Spirit. To live a monastic life in a modern egotistical world, not one cloistered in a monastery but as a shining light for all the world to see. John tells us life is challenging and has its suffering but with the love of God we all can learn to be a blessing as we are blessed.

The story of revelation is that we need to reframe the way we live life by loving each other with the love of God no matter what sex, race, culture, class or religion we are. Simply put we must constantly be looking for and listening to the real Jesus not the one society and the modern church presents. The most important part of our faith is to work out our personal view of who God is. How do we do that? To start we need to destroy our common sense by not trusting your own wisdom and to trust the wisdom of God for everything we do, to go to His Word to learn who He is, a loving, patient and enduring God where He captures our imaginations and hearts.

John wrote his letters over 2000 years ago when tradition and law was the norm far from today’s church that includes contemporary music, flashy lights and prosperity sermons that bring us to our feet as we are promised a better life. We think our golden ticket to heaven is by saving souls, yet the church today is dying.

We see some churches remain faithful amidst persecution and patiently endure despite weaknesses while others have abandoned their love for Christ and His teachings, compromised their beliefs, followed false prophets, lukewarm in their faith and are just spiritually dead.

If John wrote to the churches today what would his letters say? Would the instructions given by God to John be as valuable today as they were then? Would we learn that Jesus is not only a God that corrects but also encourages and loves His flock beyond their wildest dreams no matter who they are.

Professing truth to each church Johns letters hit home for those who listen and are missed by those blinded by their own condition and prosperity. We read that their strength soon becomes their weakness relying only on themselves while choosing how they live and who they love. It is here that John offers commendations, condemnation, counsel and a challenge. Their strength became their weakness and vice a versa. The letter to each church ends in “Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”

I have never thought of myself as an impressionist when I paint, but when I look at the bible especially the book of Revelation, I believe that it’s meant to be looked at like an impressionist painting. Ironically in the past I have always tried to turn scripture into an engineer’s drawing wanting to make sense of everything.

My 1st painting “John’s Vision of Christ” from chapters 1-3 of Revelation we see John incarcerated on the island of Patmos where his first vision is on the Lords Day. Hearing a load voice like a trumpet he is asked to write letters on a scroll to the seven churches. Turning to the voice he sees seven golden lampstands representing the seven churches and someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash of purity and glory around his chest. The hair on the man’s head is white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes are like blazing fire. His feet look like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice is that of rushing waters. In his right hand he holds seven stars representing an angel as a messenger for each church and coming out of his mouth is a sharp double-edged sword representing the Word of God. His face is like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

It’s interesting that John uses imagery as a spiritual 'code' to fool the Roman authorities to be understood by only Jewish and Gentile readers who know Gods Word as he paints a picture of what he sees. Throughout his letters John gives the disciples of Jesus a rare view of the cosmos, where Heaven is in the center of all the chaos, the control room of the universe.