There are many
books and commentaries on Revelation and the so-called End Times, one of
the few I recommend is Discipleship on the Edge by Darrell W. Johnson. In
fact, I’d put Johnson’s work in first place and last place, that is, it is good
to begin with Johnson and end with Johnson and keep referring to Johnson – because
Johnson is focused on Jesus Christ, insisting on seeking Christ, insisting on
living with Christ.
“I am convinced
that no other book helps us see Jesus as he is right now as clearly and
compellingly as the last book John wrote” (p.13, italics in text).
“No other book
helps us see Jesus relative to “the powers” at work in our time the way the
last book does. No other book helps us see him in a way that overcomes our
fears and frees us for radical faith” (p. 13).
Johnson writes
that if he could keep only one book of the Bible that it would be Revelation. Then
he rephrases himself and writes, “If I could be kept by only one book of the
Bible I want to be kept by the last” (pg. 14).
I love Johnson’s
humility and his trust in Jesus as he writes:
“I do not claim
to have the last word on the last book of the Bible…I believe what John
believes…I am not always sure what he believes! I am, therefore, gladly
constrained to simply live in the particular texts of the Revelation until they
open themselves up to me; or, as I should say, live in the text until the
Jesus of the text breaks through to me” (pg. 16, italics mine).
Lest you think
the above means that Johnson is wishy – washy, in my next reflection I will share
a quote from him that should correct that impression. Furthermore, his
determination to know and seek Jesus and only Jesus is the type of commitment
and perseverance we need today within the professing church in America.
A wrong approach
to Revelation and Biblical eschatology can lead to evil beyond anything I could
have thought possible, I know this as I look around me, both nationally and
internationally, as I witness professing Christians endorsing and participating
in evil. Without a nonnegotiable focus and commitment to Jesus Christ we have no
hope – and this focus and commitment must be exclusive.
As we see Jesus
and participate in His life, in His Cross, we become overcomers in Him and
begin to experience the “already – not yet” glory of the Lamb, the Father, and
the New Jerusalem.
“To Him who
loves us and released us from our sins by His blood – and He has made us to be
a kingdom, priests to His God and Father – to Him be the glory and the dominion
forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:5 – 6; see also 1 Peter 2:9).
Revelation is
written to bondservants of Jesus Christ. These slaves have been released from
their sins by the blood of the Lamb and being released they have become the
perpetual bondservants (with the ear pierced by an awl, Deut. 15:17) of the Lamb.
Revelation is written to those who have been made a kingdom in Christ, priests
to God the Father. In other words, Revelation is written to the Kingdom of
Priests in Jesus Christ. We are to read Revelation as bondservants, we are to
read Revelation as citizens of the Kingdom of God, and we are to read
Revelation as God’s Priesthood.
We are not to
read Revelation to satisfy our curiosity, to know more than those around us, or
to look for a way to escape our responsibility as disciples of Jesus Christ, as
priests unto God the Father. Priests, at least faithful priests, give
themselves for others, they live on behalf of others; faithful priests do not
run away, they stand with their people, they suffer with their people, they lay
down their lives for others, just as our High Priest Jesus Christ laid down His
life for us.
Bishop Fulton Sheen
wrote a book a few decades ago that Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox clergy should
read prior to ordination, its title is, The Priest Is Not His Own. Since
God has made every Christian a priest, we all ought to live by the truth of
this statement, for we all have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb.
The Scriptures
call us to be overcomers in the midst of trial and tribulation, to suffer with
Jesus and for Jesus, to live cruciform lives on behalf of others. The message
of Revelation is clear, just as the Lamb overcame by His death on behalf of others,
so we overcome as we lay down our lives for the Lamb and others.
Those who follow
Jesus wherever He goes are those who lose their lives for His sake and the
Gospel (Mark 8:34ff). They are those who do not love their lives, even unto
death (Rev. 12:11).
I make a point
of all this for many reasons, one of which is to state what should be obvious;
you aren’t going to sell many books and videos, or get many people to attend
your hyped conferences, with this message; you aren’t going to get your radio
audience hooked on your next broadcast.
But you will be
telling the truth.
No comments:
Post a Comment