Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Revelation Revealed

When I was younger I had a strange and powerful fascination with the book of Revelation, as I believe nearly every Christian has had at one point or another. I read the book probably four times in the span of a few months and spent hours wondering what it all meant. I looked forward to the day when I would either be caught up in heaven with Jesus or be sealed on my forehead as one of His beloved. I must have been either 14 or 15 when my mother bought me an in depth commentary by one of the nation’s leading scholars on biblical end time prophecy. Being the complete nerd that I was, I powered through the book in no time. After reading it, I felt I had a deeper understanding of what was going to happen, when it would happen, and to whom it would happen. That was several years ago, and all that knowledge is buried deep inside my cerebral hard drive.

Recently, the topic of the end times has come up several times in my life. An old coworker of mine has a very deep interest for all the prophecies in not only Revelation, but also Daniel, Matthew, and 2 Thessalonians. He and I spent a lot of time both on and off the clock discussing what we each believed concerning that fateful day. Our discussions were very rarely in agreement, and more times than not, we had tiny debates on some of the semantics of biblical prophecy. I’ve also overheard a few of The Elect discussing what they think will happen when the proverbial poo hits the fan, and have been asked my opinion by one or two of the youth.

Before I continue, I feel it is important to point out that there are a few hot buttons in scripture that I believe can cause hindrances in one’s walk with God. Romans 12:18 tells us to, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” (NLT) After having my fair share of conflicts with other Christians concerning different doctrinal teachings, I finally learned that living in peace with everyone can sometimes mean completely avoiding most of these discussions. It can be tough sometimes, but I usually find answers in another truth that has been revealed to me, and that is the importance of application.

The book of Revelation and end time prophecy is very much a hot button in biblical studies. Are John’s and Daniel’s visions meant to be taken literally or are they all symbolic? What’s the deal with the locusts mentioned in Revelation 9:1-11? Do they represent tanks? Helicopters? Is it possible they are literal locusts with the face of a man and the fangs of a lion? What about the rapture? When will that happen? Some say it’s before the tribulation. Some say in the middle. Still a third group says at the end of the tribulation. Who is the Antichrist? Is he alive today? How can I really know him when he does show up?

One can get caught up in the mystery of the unknown, the anxiety of that day, and the fear of the wrath of the Almighty. It’s when you get to that point of confusion, fear, and anxiety that you take a step back, exhale, and think about the importance of application.

Imagine you’re at the airport, boarding onto a plane that is going to take you to your dream vacation. The plane starts to board and you grab your luggage and make your way to the terminal doors. After finding your seat and stashing your carryon into the overhead compartment, you settle in for a nice relaxing flight. Not long after that, the captain’s voice is heard over the intercom.

“Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking. Thank you for joining us on this nonstop flight to your dream destination. Please rest assured that even though I have never actually flown a plane, I have read all the manuals and have seen several well experienced pilots fly dozens of times. I also love the movie ConAir. Please fasten your seat belts and enjoy your flight!”

What kind of confidence would you have in that pilot? My confidence would not be very high, that’s for sure. It’s the same way with the bible. Reading it all and knowing it all in your head is pointless if you’re not seeking out the underlying principle of the scripture and finding ways to apply it to your life.

Just like the rest of the bible, the book of Revelation is nothing more than a giant neon sign pointing to Jesus.

“The spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty, come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17 NLT)

Therein lays the truth of Revelation. Don’t concern yourselves with the semantics and technicalities of what is going to happen when Jesus comes for His own and prepares to set up His kingdom. Just come. Don’t sit amongst yourselves and argue whether or not John is talking about bombs or dragons or prostitutes. Simply come.

Don’t come alone. We are told to not only come ourselves, but to tell others, “Come.” The day is fast approaching when all that we see here will be wiped away. We will live in a new Heaven and new Earth; we will reign for ever with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He has set up a place for us and is preparing it even now. We need not concern ourselves with the how or the when or the what. We only need to come.

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