Reflection #6 - Reading Revelation

I actually just finished Revelation (and my year-long journey through the Bible) on Saturday, but because of the busyness of the Christmas season, I haven’t been able to blog during this past week. I wanted to take a moment to reflect on Revelation and what I learned when reading it, before I take a step back and reflect on the whole past year and what lies ahead for this new year.


The main thing I have learned in reading Revelation is that I know hardly anything about the end times… no one does. Even those things I thought I understood, such as the conversion of a great number of Jews in the last days (Rev. 7), cannot necessarily be taken literally. Some scholars believe that a large number of ethnic Jews will be converted in the final days; others believe the Jews symbolically represent the church in general, since all Christians are adopted sons and daughters of Israel.

The ESV Bible editors often offer the different viewpoints on controversial verses and passages in the Bible. For example, they will explain viewpoints A, B, and C and then say that both A and B are possible, while C is not because it contradicts another area of scripture. Sometimes they even say one viewpoint is most likely and why. But the notes in Revelation do not offer such insight. The commentators explain the different historical schools and how they interpret Revelation, but they can’t say which school is right, because no one really knows God’s timeline between now and the end of history. God reveals to us what He want us to know and He keeps hidden those things that are best kept undisclosed, such as when God tells John not to reveal what the seven thunders say in Revelation 10. The ESV commentary says it best: "Christ's church must live by faith amid the unrevealed mysteries of God's purposes."
However, there are a number of things we do know from Revelation that can comfort us despite what we don’t know:

• God is the good creator and sustainer of the universe. "Worthy are you, Our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." (Rev. 4:11)

• Jesus is victorious over sin and death. "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war... From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations... He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almightly. On his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." (Rev.19:11, 15-16)
• Jesus is the slain lamb who washes us clean. "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Rev. 5:9-10)

• God hears and responds to the prayers of his saints. "And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth." (Rev. 8:3-5)

• Suffering for God now results in glory later. "And they have conquered him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death... Also I saw those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (Rev. 12:11, 20:4)

• Heaven will be amazing. "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Rev. 21:3-4)

Don’t shy away from reading Revelation because it’s difficult to interpret. I suggest you read it with a quality Study Bible or commentary, but definitely read it because it’s full of so many great promises from God. Instead of worrying about what I don’t know about the future, I know I have a God that I can trust now and always, who has sealed my salvation and my future in Christ.