Read Through The Bible

This brings us to the end of the New Testament.  Notice the final words of the Bible.  First the words of Jesus:  “Yes, I am coming soon.”  To that wonderful announcement, we can say as did John, “Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus.”  Until that time, as John prayed as a blessing, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people.  Amen.”

Note to readers:  As of this writing, I do not feel as though that I can continue writing daily.  I hope to post on a weekly basis in 2010.  Thanks for joining me these last two years as we have walked through the Bible.

The scenes of Heaven as described in Revelation 21 are beautiful and descriptive.  As beautiful as the imagery is, we ought to contemplate, as most important of all, two things about Heaven.  First, the glory of Heaven is not the streets of gold or the gate inlaid with precious jewels, but rather it is the place of Jesus.  Second, we must heed the warning of John that the residents of Heaven are only those “whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”  (21:27)

Meanwhile, back in the living room of someone’s home, a college dorm room, or corner classroom in the local church, some group debates the precise meaning of 666. For my energy, not much is gained by these exhausting discussions. Life is no better; faith is no better. However, when focused on the idea of God, the Almighty, seated eternally upon the throne of the universe, life and faith could hold no greater meaning. Mitchell Reddish gives the concluding hope of this scene. “All of creation has seen who sits on the heavenly throne. The occupier of the throne is not the Roman emperor or any other earthly ruler. The one who sits on the throne is God. For that reason, John is certain that ultimately everything will be alright—certainly not now, but one day.” Ah, one day! Until that day, the disciples of Jesus are called to endure, knowing that the day is coming.

This final worship scene is more fragmented than the other worship scenes. If the brief, “Amen, Hallelujah,” in Rev 19:4 is counted, then the scene contains five distinct hymns. All of the worship scenes’ participants encountered before emerge for this final time of worship. The content of the hymns is reminiscent of the hymns of the first seven worship scenes.

The first hymn of the worship scene revisits the theme of salvation belonging to God. The content of the second hymn reiterates the Hallelujah of the first hymn and continues, “her smoke rises up forever.” Just as God’s reign is forever, the overthrow of the forces of evil is a permanent action. An unidentified voice coming down from the throne produces the next hymn fragment. The voice is peculiar because every other mention of the throne suggests that God is on the throne. Since the hymn calls for praise to God, the voice cannot be God’s voice. Because the emphasis is on the worship bearers rather than on God, the theological nature of this song is not as significant.

The final hymn conjures thoughts of previous themes. A simple hymn, “Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns,” includes three important aspects of the revelation. First, the title by this point in the apocalypse refreshes the memory of all that the Lord God is and has done. Second, the title Almighty reminds the reader of the omnipotence of the Lord God. The aspect of reigning suggests God’s sovereignty in the present world and in the world to come. The last worship scene’s theological impact is in the last hymn. Captured in this final hymn is God’s sovereignty, his omnipotence, his holiness, and his rule. Missing from this hymn is a direct link between the worship of God and Jesus. Present, however, is the constant reminder of the Apocalypse that the Lord God reigns.

Good!  You kept reading.  Babylon falls!  I read one book about Revelation (a book by Eugene Peterson who also wrote The Message—a paraphrase of the Bible) that sub-divided the book of Revelation into a series of statements all beginning with the phrase, “The Final Word about…)  Well, in keeping with Peterson’s analysis, here is the final word about the enemies of God—they are crushed!  You have probably heard the cliché:  I’ve read the final chapter and we win!  Well, that’s what we get as we begin to read the final chapters of Revelation.