The Book of Revelation is protest literature from the underdogs. It’s written to Christians who are being told their kingdom is nothing compared to the Kingdom of Caesar, and they need to bow down and submit. Caesar’s kingdom is the earthly powers or forces that are seen as too powerful, too big to fail, too hard to challenge or change. In the time of John, the author of Revelation, it was the Roman forces. Over history it has been many different empires, rulers and ideologies. Today it’s …… take your pick from the various political, social and economic powers at work. At first sight, the kingdom of God looks powerless, weak and unattractive against these domineering forces. The kingdom of God is about forgiveness, serving others in love, love for even our enemies. It’s about people who are lost in all sorts of ways being found by Christ and brought home into the Father’s love. It’s about accepting that I do sin and fail, and yet God will never give up on me. It’s about believing that love is stronger than any evil. It’s learning to get beyond my instinctive, self-focused reactions, and choosing to respond out of grace and mercy (and that is a life-long journey!).
Finally, at the end of Revelation, coming out of all the chaos and messiness, the new heaven and the new earth are revealed. The new Jerusalem emerges, and John gives us beautiful glimpses of what eternal life with God will be like. I invite you to take a moment and sit with one of these 3 pictures.
The river of life flows from the centre. What is it like to reach out your hand and touch that water? What is it like to scoop up a mouthful? What’s it like to step into the river, and float?
The tree of life, yielding its fruit every month. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations. Reach out and take one of the fruit – unlike Eve and Adam you are welcome to do this. Bite into it. Chew it, swallow a bit. Take it into your gut. Let God’s life bloom inside you. If something in you needs healing or repair, reach out and take some of the leaves, gently crush them in a teapot, and pour over boiling water. In a few minutes, pour yourself a cuppa, and sip. What happens as you drink tea from the tree of life?
Seeing God face to face. Allow the God who has always loved you to look at you in love. Even if you think you deserve criticism or judgement, stay in God’s presence. You are not being glared at. What changes inside you as you stay in God’s loving gaze?
