It is very important to follow any story to its final conclusion. It is often not until the end of the story that we are able to put into proper context the things that occur earlier in the narrative. I remember several years ago when Dan Brown’s books were all the rage and the source of some controversy. The Da Vinci Code had just been made into a movie so I decided to read Angels and Demons which was the book that preceded the Da Vinci Code. I remember reading about five hundred pages of Angels and Demons and I thought that it was a nice tour through Rome and featured some interesting history but it did not seem controversial. I remember telling my wife that I did not understand why this book made people so upset. She gave me this weird look and told me that we should talk again after I read the last one hundred pages. I then proceeded to finish the book and the action obviously picked up as crazy things happened all the way to the end. I remember that the views that I had of several characters changed in light of how the book ended. I do not want to give you a spoiler but in particular there was one character who seemed like a pretty good guy who in the end was the most sinister character in the whole book. By reading to the end, I was finally able to see why the book was so controversial and the ending caused me to reinterpret the earlier parts of the story.
The Book of Revelation is a text that needs to be read fully and completely to the end. Revelation is a book of the Bible that is often referenced in popular culture. When I hear a prediction or a proclamation based on Revelation, I tend to be pretty skeptical because it is often clear to me that the person has not read the story all the way to the end. The chaos unleashed by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, fierce battles fought by great armies, and the rapture of fortunate souls to heaven are some images of the end times that appear in popular culture. However, if one reads to the end of the story, we have nothing of which to be afraid. At the end of time God is not planning to subject the earth to devastation or destruction. God is not planning on leaving any unfortunate souls behind. The Book of Revelation comes to its conclusion with the holy city descending from heaven, God dwelling with us, and God renewing all of creation as all will drink from the spring of the water of life. Do not be deceived. Revelation actually concludes with a happy ending.
Just because the story of God as told in Revelation ends well does not mean that we can simply ignore the turmoil described in the book. God is fighting a battle against Satan each and every day. We are assured of God’s victory in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but that does not mean that the struggle of daily life is not real. It is easy to despair as we see the pictures from the war in Ukraine and we cannot avoid seeing the terrible and real suffering that the people there are experiencing. The impacts of this war are now starting to be felt everywhere. People in neighboring countries now live in fear of Russian aggression. People in countries which are food insecure will starve as Ukrainian grain exports are expected to sharply decrease. Even in a relatively safe and wealthy country like the United States we see that sending weapons to arm the Ukrainians takes away money that could be devoted to social programs or to our crumbling infrastructure. In addition to the war, we still have COVID-19 in our midst as the threat level has ticked up to yellow and something that did not exist two and a half years ago is now the third leading cause of death in the United States. It is only May but the upcoming election season is a further reminder that many of those seeking political offices are more interested in their own self-interest than they are in serving the common good. Yes, it is a bit depressing when you realize that human progress is not always a straight line to a better life for all of humanity but that history is often circular and involves us moving through cycles of good times and bad times. Every day we live in the midst of the transition from the first heaven and earth to the new heaven and earth and we experience how painful this transition can be. Yes, the times are difficult but this image of the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven symbolizes that God is present with us during this time of transition just as God was present with the people of Israel in the wilderness, the exiles in Babylon, and the apostles who faced persecution.
Dreams are a powerful way for people to maintain hope during difficult times. As an example of apocalyptic literature Revelation is not merely a prediction of events to come but it is a revealing of God’s dream to us. Many great theologians throughout history have boldly proclaimed their dreams. The holy city in Revelation is an allusion to an earlier vision in the Hebrew Scriptures as the prophet Isaiah writes about a new heaven and a new earth as a time when there will be peace, justice, and prosperity. In his classic The City of God Augustine writes of the new Jerusalem as being the place where the eternal truths of God are fully revealed. In more modern times we have the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who spoke of a beloved community of economic and social justice in which all members are equal and are treated with dignity. Throughout the generations the vision of the holy city in Revelation has always promised life, healing, reconciliation and justice. In this dream we see what is important to God. We see that God is not distant but instead desires to be with us as God wipes away our tears and offers us eternal life through the miracle of Resurrection. Our God is a God who meets all of our spiritual and material needs. Nobody is left thirsty as everyone is invited to drink from the water of life. If we read all the way to the end of the story, we see that God’s vision of the future is not one of exclusion, death, and scarcity but that the new heaven and the new earth are part of a vision of inclusion, life, and abundance.
This vision of Revelation is not just a description of what God is doing but it is also an invitation for us to participate in God’s dream. We are not taken away from this world to escape it but rather we are invited to enter into deeper relationships in our community. In my view this vision of a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven is so powerful because humans live in community with each other and through our relationships we support each other and improve the quality of each other’s lives. We do not flee from our broken world but Jesus who is present in our midst works through us to build a more authentic community and society.
I am really glad that the actual ending of Revelation does not involve a glorious rapture into heaven. I am not inspired by a God who simply whisks away the good people to heaven while leaving the rest of us behind to fend for ourselves. A God that calls us into partnership and provides us with the opportunities that allow the love of Jesus to be experienced in this world is a God that inspires my trust and belief. As I mentioned earlier Revelation is not merely a prediction of the future but it is a revealing of God’s promises. It is clear in this vision that God is the divine actor who is bringing the new Jerusalem into being. However, the renewing of creation and the coming of the holy city is not in my view a singular cosmic event. I believe that God is present and inviting us to help create the holy city. It is not solely human initiative but it is God working through humans which brings about the renewal of creation. I recently heard a news story about a real estate developer in Ukraine who goes to the supermarket in Dnipro each day and buys baby formula and diapers which she then gives away for free to individuals and to mutual aid organizations. On the visit featured in the news report she spent $750. According to the reporter she goes virtually every day and she has spent thousands of dollars during the war. As this woman proves it is possible in the midst of death to save lives. During these turbulent times we may not always recognize it but the renewal of creation is occurring as God is working through us to make it happen.
Read the story carefully and read it all the way to the end. Yes, there are many twists and turns in the plot, however the vision presented in the Book of Revelation is not something that should scare us but rather it is something that we are invited to embrace. When we read the story of God’s love in the Bible all the way to the very end, we see that God’s love is even more powerful and closer to us than what our limited minds can imagine. Even in these turbulent and trying times we are comforted by the reality that God has a dream and that dream involves each and every one of us living in close relationship to God and to each other. God continues to create new life in the midst of death and God invites every single one of us into God’s dream.
~ Vicar Kyle Anderson