We have been having a series of sermons on Revelation.
Revelation is a prophetic apocalypse letter in epistolary guise, that is, it is a mix of apocalyptic, prophetic letter that is written to address specific needs. It appears that the writer identifies himself as John (1:1) who was exiled (1:9) on the island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea. It was probably penned during the reign of Domitian, by someone who is suffering, to the church who is suffering intense persecution, even death in following Christ (2:13).
Intention
The letter is intended to encourage the faithful, that God is in control, and to exhort the unfaithful against compromises. John warns against prostituting oneself with other gods for economic gains.
Message
The distinctive message is that God is sovereign with the clarion call to Christians to live righteous lives, to endure suffering and to be overcomers. The book is full of symbols, including those from the past, for example, the beast representing the political power of Rome (Rev 13, 14), the harlot symbolising Rome’s prosperity gained through economic exploitation (18:12-13, 16).
The wealth of the great prostitute generates for the merchants and Babylon ultimately comes off the backs of the poor, the vulnerable, the helpless, and make their lives worse.
Also included in Revelation is the account on the 7 churches, the book with the seven seals, the dragon, the seven bowls of plagues of wrath, and the final judgement and the tale of two cities. The juxtaposition of what is happening on earth and heaven – the splendour of the New Jerusalem, the river of life in the new Eden, the throne room (Rev 6), point the audience towards heaven and this helps to lift their eyes from their suffering to what God is doing, to His crescendo of judgment on Rome and her client kings, an answer to their ‘How long?’
The theological and pastoral message is to challenge and to comfort, to encourage through a transcendent perspective of God, and ‘to come out’ (18:4).
Dr Vivien Ler
