Saturday, November 12, 2022

 

Saturday, November 12, 2022


Psalm 33

Susanna 34-64

Revelation 6:1-11


Observance: Charles Simeon, evangelist (d. 1836)


Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals…


Having received our letters from Jesus, and being welcomed into the throne room of heaven, we now get to the real meat and potatoes of Revelation. Full of symbolism and imagery, John’s vision is consistent with many Old Testament visions of the same place and of the same themes: Daniel, Zechariah and Ezekiel are some of the famous names that come to mind in this scene. But what does it all mean?


If there is one thing about this book, it is that the more we read it, and the more commentaries on it we study, we always find something new and different. The grand theme is always the same: Jesus is the conqueror who destroys the forces of evil and saves His people. In the details, however, we are always able to glean new snippets of hope and inspiration.


Yesterday we noticed that this scroll is something like a title deed for creation. We also learnt that Jesus is the only One who is worthy to receive ownership of creation. Finally, it was established that Jesus’ worthiness comes from His self-sacrificial love. Now we get to look inside the scroll: what is this that was so incredibly worthwhile that only Jesus could claim ownership?


It seems to start well: the white rider, white being an image of sanctity and justice, rides forth, conquering. Such was God’s original intention for humans in the Garden of Eden. Made in His image, invested with His authority, our purpose is and always has been to be God’s blessing on creation, and a prayer from creation back to God. But something went wrong: we went to war.


From war came hungry bellies and tight wallets. From hunger and poverty came sickness and disease. A creation scarred by human pride and rebellion is left a wasteland, where only wild animals can find their fill. Those “under the altar”, humans who remained loyal to God and His plan, suffered under the general rebellion, and were given the white robes of God’s sanctity and justice, and told to remain patient until those of us born after the first Easter could join them.


This universe, originally beautiful and perfect and lovely, ravaged by the very people to whom its preciousness was entrusted, does not seem a very great prize for the Lord Jesus. Yet only He is worthy to take it over. This must mean that God wants it fixed; He will not leave us to our own self-destructive devices. There is only One who can turn things around, who can redeem, who can resurrect. There is only One who has enough in His storehouse of love to be able to pour Himself out in the job of repairing it all. The Lion of Judah, the Root of David and Jesse, the Lamb who was slain and now lives forever and ever, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Firstborn of all creation and the first fruits of the resurrection, our Prophet, Priest and King, our God: our Friend. Our Lord Jesus truly is worthy.




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