Introduction

The immediate impulse for this series came from the news that a professing Christian, married and with children, had committed suicide because he was overwhelmed by depression. Contrary to popular belief that Australians are an easy going fun loving people, a person in this country attempts suicide every 15 minutes, and one succeeds every 4 hours. Around one in six Australian men suffer from depression at any given time, and from puberty onward, women are twice more likely to experience this affliction than men. About five percent of adolescents experience depression severe enough to warrant treatment, and almost 20% of youth experience significant depressive symptoms by the time they reach adulthood[1] One in five Australians in their mid-20s has a serious mental or physical health problem. 40 per cent of this group show severe signs depression, anxiety, antisocial behaviour or illegal drug-taking[2]. Depression ranked 4th on the World Health Organization’s Global Burden of Disease list in 2000, and by 2020, it is projected to reach 2nd place. Allied to this, in the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide[3].

Why should it be that more and more people are becoming undone, especially in Western nations? Jesus prophesied that in the days preceding his coming the world would be in a state of trauma, he said there would be ““people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world” (Luke 21:26). One major reference[4] translates this as people expiring, literally “dying”, from fear at the state of the world.

Our local newspaper carried a heading a few days ago, “Doctors helpless in face of rampant quake trauma.”[5] Referring to the inconsolable trauma of thousands of Haitians, the article was accompanied by a photo of a group of people crying out to God in an evangelical prayer meeting. These Haitians are clearly closer to the spirit of the apocalyptic and last days scenarios of the book of Revelation than any of us. They are nearer to reality than we are for we are a society skilled in repression and denial about what is actually traumatising us.

We are a nation whose indigenous culture seems broken past healing, wracked by violence (the imprisonment rate for aborigines in Western Australia is 11times that of the non-indigenous population)[6] and rampant child abuse. The global financial state of affairs remains uncertain, terrorism is always on the horizon, dysfunction in families and marriages is simply accepted as a “normal” state of affairs, there is alarming obesity epidemic among children[7] and fear about global warming creates an atmosphere of gloom.

Hedonism, materialism, substance abuse and sexual promiscuity are symptoms of humanity’s attempts to drown out its misery. They witness to the truth that societies deprived of a framework of final meaning live in the constant trauma of the fear of death, which brings all aspirations to nothing (Heb 2:15). Having lost the splendour of God’s presence the vast mass of humanity, are, in Paul’s words, “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12).

Our modern plagues of psychological disturbance, relational breakdown and social fragmentation are just as real as the ancient biblical plagues of famine, pestilence and the sword[8]. The theological meaning of these afflictions is exactly the same.

In the book of Revelation, unbelievers, but never followers of Jesus, are repeatedly called “those who dwell on the earth” (3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:2, 8). They are those trapped in a matrix of immediate concerns for self preservation and dominated by the visible, material, sensual world of idolatry. Lacking the horizon of heaven they have no insight into him in whom are all the all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3), they do not share in the only life in whom all questions of ultimate meaning are settled once and for all – they cannot see the Lamb on the throne of heaven. The disordered state of those outside Christ should neither surprise, nor at one level, alarm us.

What should concern and disturb us is that in so many ways a depression and a spiritual blindness lies over God’s people. What shocks us is that so many of those who love Jesus seem to lack a final framework of meaning that is making them whole. There are foundational reasons for this spiritual malaise that must be addressed. You may, for instance, have happily joined with other Christians in singing Geoff Bullock’s catchy tune, “This is the Great South-land Of the Holy Spirit”. The message of this song, “This is our nation, this is our land This is our future, this is our hope.” are in total contradiction to the message of Revelation. The song may end cheerily with the chorus, “And to this land, revival comes.”, but no spiritual revival will ever come to this land until the eyes of the people of God are lifted above this earth to the Lamb of God on his heavenly throne. Only through a radical transformation of world view can the internal stresses so rampant among believers be healed for the glory of God. This is the outstanding value of Revelation.

Why the Book of Revelation?

Revelation, the climactic book of the Bible, directly addresses the contemporary crises of accommodating and ineffective Western Christianity because it is a message about Jesus Christ – not about the Jesus confined within the framework of the Gospels, but the Jesus who in ascending to heaven has returned to the infinite majesty of eternal glory with his Father (John 17:5).

a. The message of the Book is Christ

The proper title of the book is “The revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1), and its essential content is the identity of Jesus. This is the only book in scripture which describes itself as a prophecy that brings blessing to those who read it and keep its words (1:3; 22:7). In this book Jesus is presented by description and vision.

By description Jesus is called, “the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth…. who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev 1:5). As “the faithful witness” (cf. 3:14) Jesus is a prophet who has spoken the word of God without partiality or compromise. As, “the ruler of kings on earth” (1:5)[9], he is the true king who exercises dominion over all corrupt powers that oppose the kingdom of God[10]. As the one who has freed us from our sins by his blood, Christ is the perfect priest.

The vision of the glorified Jesus strikingly outlined in chapter one (vv.12-16) is full of allusions to the Old Testament. His brilliant attire evokes images of the kings and priests of ancient Israel. John sees Jesus standing in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands (1:12-13), which are symbolise the churches (1:20). As the Old Testament priest trimmed the temple lamps, removed burnt wicks, refilled the lamps with fresh oil and relit those that had gone out, so Jesus walks in the midst of the churches – commending, correcting, warning and disciplining the congregations so that they might burn brightly in a dark world.

John, the beloved disciple who knew Jesus so intimately during his days on earth that he reclined in his bosom (John 13:23), is so overwhelmed by the vision of Christ that he “fell at his feet as though dead” (1:17). A proper interpretation of this sensation is crucial to our ability to receive the message of Revelation.

John’s experience reminds me of one I had from the Lord about 35 years ago, his presence was so intense that I thought I was about to die. Similarly, the famous evangelist D.L. Moody wrote concerning an encounter with the Holy Spirit, “The room seemed ablaze with God, ‘I can only say that God revealed himself to me, and I had such an experience of his love that I had to ask him to stay his hand.’” Such manifestations of God are so awe-some that they threaten to inundate our mortal frame, BUT they contain within them no sense of God’s wrath. When Jesus reached out his (nail –scarred) hand and touches the apostle with the sweet words, ““Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one.” (1:17-18) he imparted to John’s spirit a boundless sense of the comfort of God. In the strength of this consolation John is enabled to bear the fearsome visions he is about to receive, and through the recording of them bring unlimited nurture to multitudes of persecuted witnesses of Christ.[11]

This amazing vision of Christ is not given to John because God is on a glory trip trying to impress us of his greatness. Elsewhere, John describes the significance of his vision, “2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2). The majesty and splendour of the heavenly Lord in his three fold office of prophet, priest and king, is a preview of the glory that he will share with every overcoming Christian when he comes again. Only as we are inwardly grasped by this truth shall we be able to obey God in the way Revelation commands (e.g. 12:17; 14:12).

b. The depth of Character of the Author

John the apostle is only able to receive this revelation of Jesus because of his long and deep experience of the Lord, at this stage of his life he has been following Christ for about 65 years[12]. He is the sole surviving apostle of the original Twelve; all other shad long died a martyr’s death. He is possibly the last eye witness of the cross. As a young man he was arrested and beaten for preaching the gospel (Acts 5:30), and his own brother James was killed “with the sword” not long after (Acts 12:2). So when John is moved to record these words, “If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” (Rev 13:10) he does so as one familiar with the grief and burdens that obedience to Jesus brings. In recording that Revelation came to him, “on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (1:9), John explains he was being held captive on a prison island because of his faithfulness to Jesus. He is a prisoner of war, the Lamb’s war, this is the theme of Revelation.

Why “The Lamb’s War”

The Lamb’s war concerns the age long conflict between good and evil, Satan and God; it is a struggle that reappears in many forms, but it is always essentially the same. At the time of the writing of Revelation (especially in the Roman province of Asia) the centre of culture, commerce and religion, and the self proclaimed guardian for security, peace and prosperity, was the emperor. In the temples of the empire the cult of Caesar worship publicly proclaimed that Caesar was “Lord and God”[13]. In the symbolism of Revelation, the beast is the Emperor, the image of the beast refers his statues worshipped in the temples, the harlot is the cult of emperor worship, and Babylon is Rome.

Uncompromisingly confronting the culture of the ancient world was the message that the one true centre of the universe was the Lamb on the throne of his Father. Only the Lamb stands in the midst of the throne of God (Rev 7:17), from which issues both righteous judgement (Rev 20:11-13) and merciful grace (Heb 4:16; Rev 1:4).

The world is a courtroom[14] where the issue of the identity of the true God is decided. The consequences of this conflict are eternal – hence there are no compromises, prisoners or negotiations. Whoever follows the true God has eternal life; the only alternative is the second death (2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8). All evil and destructive forces that oppose God and his kingdom will be cast out of the universe forever. Revelation is a book dripping in the blood of the Lamb and his servants[15], the symbolism of this book paints a picture that to be a faithful Christian means certain death. Such dramatic apocalyptic language is the only way to convey the intensity and finality of this conflict. In the arena of this Word of God passivity and indifference are impossible.

Australia’s most solemn Memorial Day, ANZAC Day, teaches us that supreme sacrifice generates an atmosphere that is holy[16]. The holiness of the blood of the Lamb and the saints penetrates the heavenly world and the earthly church, and in doing so draws out unconditional praise to a God whose blessed glory it is to oppose and destroy evil, no matter what the cost.

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”” (Rev 11:17-18)

Revelation is neither a mysterious puzzle nor a sort crystal ball into the future, and it is certainly not a source of wealth for writers clever enough to spin their wares to scared Christians[17]. As I was praying about this series the Spirit impressed on me that the dominant note of the book is Overcoming Joy. This is the exalted joy that Jesus entered when he sat down at the right hand of God (Heb 12:2); it is the joy of the ascended king who has loved righteousness and hated wickedness (Heb 1:8-9). Revelation is a book that throbs with joy at the message of the final destruction of all that destroys (11:18). When Babylon (the political and economic systems that rule the world) is destroyed, all holy beings erupt in praise, “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” (Rev 18:20). When Jesus returns for the church there is an anticipation of unimaginable bliss, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;” (Rev 19:7). Everywhere in this book, faithful Christians are called “blessed” (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14) because they share in the blessedness of God (7:12) and the Lamb (5:12-13). Only such intense joy is powerful enough to strengthen the people of God (Neh 8:10) to remain faithful in a world saturated with evil.

Given the great and stirring themes of Revelation, why is there so much compromise, passivity, indifference, laziness and lack of spiritual authority amongst the children of God today? Quite simply, we have failed, not primarily at the individual level, but as communities and congregations, to “enter in” to the spiritual realities of which this book speaks so clearly.

The Call to Enter In

The book of Revelation is incomprehensible to so many of us, not firstly because its symbols are so strange, but because the heavenly world is unreal to us. We do not lack good commentaries on Revelation; we lack a life context to enter into the spiritual atmosphere of the book.

When the apostle begins with, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus,” (Rev 1:9), he means that the persecutions described in this book are part of our sharing in the life of Christ. This book’s truths are dynamic and real in our experience through our union with Christ. We endure the same trials that Jesus has endured because we share in his ministry. Tribulation on account of “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (1:9) is at the very heart of this book. As prophets we witness to the kingdom of God as Jesus did, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (19:10), as priests and kings we share in Christ’s heavenly intercession and reign with him upon the earth. “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:5-6). All that was enacted by OT prophets, priests and kings has come to fullness in the saints “on whom the end of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11).

The constant pressure opposing the kingdom of God we need to share “the patient endurance” that Christ gives, a virtue repeatedly encouraged in Revelation (1:9; 2:2, 19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12). Tragically, many Western Christians are more dominated by the desire for a comfortable life style than being known for their perseverance. They seem not to realise that the prophetic anointing of which this vision repeatedly speaks[18] is possible only in the furnace of affliction. Likewise, no one can sense the indwelling heavenly kingdom of God which consecrates us as priests (1:6, 9, 5:10) without sharing in the suffering of Christ.

Suffering for Jesus’ sake actualises something wonderful and indispensible. As a prisoner for the Lord, John “was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (1:10). While worshipping in Spirit and truth (John 4:24) inspiration fell upon him (cf. Eph 6:18; Jude 20) and he entered into the heavenly realm and saw things “into which angels long to look” (1 Pet 1:12). A true perception of the attributes of God can be experienced only through worship born through suffering for the sake of the coming kingdom of God. This is the secret of entering into all that John saw and heard (22:8).

The Old Testament psalmist, when speaking of the material temple, said, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Ps 100:4). Through Christ, in the Spirit, we go through the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem and share in the life of the real and eternal temple[19]. John received the message of Revelation through an angel (1:1), the book speaks so freely of angels[20], not because John imbibes some ancient outdated cosmology, but because they are part of the constant commerce between heaven and earth in the service of the exalted Lamb (cf. John 1:51).

The heavenly hymns of Revelation (5:9 – 12; 7:10, 12; 11:15-18; 15:3-4; 19:1-3; 6-8) are proclamations of the power of the gospel of Christ to “make all things new” (21:5), and they inspire the “spiritual songs” (Col 3:16) of the church on earth .To enter into the reality of these choruses, unlike many popular productions of the Western church today, is to ingest an atmosphere that breathes the irresistibility of the coming of the kingdom of God with power, a power that will annihilate every force that causes pain and distress in human life (20:13-15; 21:4).

Entering Into the Heavenly Reality

The celestial world of which Revelation speaks is too holy to be reckoned with apart from a deep sense of being “loosed from our sins” (Rev 1:5) by the blood of the Lamb. Whilst this book is a warning against every element of worldliness in the church, it is even more a call[21] to enter into the pure joy of God’s final victory over evil through the sacrifice of the Lamb and the obedience of the church. To enter into the spirit of Revelation is to rejoice with a joy “inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet 1:8) over God’s justice, wisdom and goodness in all things, especially as they will be in their final destiny. The amazing themes of the eternal marriage of Christ and the church (Rev 19), dwelling with God forever (21:3) and sharing all things with him as a son (21:7) are transfixing.

The Spirit of God is indescribably near tonight, and he is calling us to labour in the victory of Christ (2:5; 14:13 etc.). Christ’s conquest over evil was achieved through sacrifice, yet it issues in the irrepressible praise, prayer and prophecy that fills this book and can fill the life of the church on earth. We are called both to overcome external evil in the victory of Jesus, and to ourselves be overcome by sharing in the cross and resurrection (5:6). It is through such breaking and making that heavenly insight into the eternal purposes of God for everything – life, marriage, family, work, church – breaks in upon us.

Baptised in this framework of meaning, we are “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37)[22]. As the Lamb has conquered (5:5; 17:4) so believers conquer (12:11; 15:2; 21:7). We conquer as Christ conquered, in our identity as faithful prophets, priests and kings -there is no other way. In order to experience the reality of Revelation we must pray that we be taken up inside of that which was shown to John so long ago. It is imperative that we pray that the Spirit be poured out upon us, bathing us in God, that we may be empowered by the Spirit of the victorious Lamb and enabled to participate in his purposes in all things.

Conclusion

At this moment in the history of spirituality we are in the middle of an enormous struggle between opposing cosmic powers. We are confronted with forces of materialism embedded in a market driven global culture that threatens to devour all peoples and nations in a mad quest for pleasurable life. Despite all surface appearances, what dominates this world is a search for lasting joy. Centuries ago one of the great teachers of the church remarked, “Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to fleshly pleasures.” (Aquinas).

God is not passive about the rampant idolatry of our times, he pulling aside the covers of our material perception to reveal what is above, in heaven. The perspective of the slain and exalted Lamb is descending upon the people of God. This is a perspective that makes us stand as the Lamb has stood, in the place of all the oppressed, weak, harassed, broken, addicted and despairing of the earth. This perspective illuminates God’s fiery hatred of all that destroys human life and empowers us to work with God in annihilating evil, at the cost, if necessary, of our lives.

Jesus died, and so must we, as God wills, that true spiritual joy might come upon the world. Bathed in these realities we refuse to participate in any form of escapism, the last of which is suicide, and we join in the chorus of the saints in heaven and earth, ““Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”” (Rev 22:20).