Revelation Introduction, part III

Haven't blogged in a few weeks, for several good reasons. My son had what turned out to be minor surgery a couple of weeks ago - he's fine and basically fully recovered. I've also had a lot of stuff going on at the church, so my posting has been non-existent. I hope that I'll be able to get back on track. Anyways, I want to continue my look at Revelation as I teach through the book over the next few months. I've been thinking about how I want to engage Revelation on the blog as I'm teaching and I don't think I want it to simply be a repetition of what I teach. I'm think that on the blog, I'll write about my own reflections on the text in terms of theology and in terms of what the book might have to teach us related to spiritual growth.

I have given some thought about how I might discuss the interpretation of Revelation as it relates to the recent Left Behind phenomenon. This series represents the system of interpretation known as Darbyism, named after John Nelson Darby. Darby was a disaffected Anglican priest who left the church, joined the Plymouth Brethren and spent years devising the "system" that would come to be known as premillenial Dispensationalism. This is the system spelled out in narrative form in the Left Behind series, and it includes a belief in the Rapture, a 7 year period of tribulation, the Antichrist, and a final climactic battle between the Antichrist and Christ. There are a great number of details in this system that I'm not going to elaborate on - I don't have the time or interest in doing so. Suffice it to say that (a) I'm not a Darbyist; (b) I don't subscribe to a belief in the Rapture; (c) I have a lot of trouble with the interpretative methods used by the Darbyists; and (d) I have even more trouble with the theological exclusivism of many Darbyists ("If you don't believe in the Rapture, then you're not a Christian.") Maybe at some point I'll spell out in detail my thoughts about this, just not presently. I know that I said that this posting would be about Darbyism, but I'm not sure that I'm up to it at the moment...

So, some might ask, how does one interpret Revelation, or think about the "end times" apart from Darbyism? Here are some thoughts about that:

1) I do believe that Jesus Christ will return. Every time we Methodists recite the communion liturgy, we say: "Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again." I believe this. And not in some fuzzy, ambiguous, "Jesus has come back in all of our hearts" kind of way. I think he's coming back. And I'm going to listen to Jesus on this - one, we don't know when; two, we will be surprised.

2) The return of Jesus Christ in no way, shape, or form diminishes my responsibilities and obligations as a Christian person in the present. Again, I'm going to listen to Jesus and what he says in Matthew 6:34 - "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." I also like what Luther had to say about the return of Christ. When asked how he would respond if Christ was returning tomorrow, Luther said (basically) "I would plant a tree today." (Lutheran friends, correct me if I'm wrong). Even if he didn't say it, I like the sentiment. We are stewards of God's good gift today and what tomorrow holds does not change that.

3) Revelation is not a road map for the future - it has happened, it is happening, and it will happen. Revelation, in my understanding, is about what happens when the "curtain is pulled back" and we see the conflict between God/life and sin/death. The empires/powers of this world must ultimately fall under God's judgment, but they're taking a lot of people down with them. This is the way of human power and sin.

4) John of Patmos was writing, in large part, about the power of Roman Empire (and about the power behind the power). An interesting question that I've been grappling with the last 2 times that I have taught Revelation is "if John were writing this letter today, who would the Beast be?"

5) Revelation is ultimately inspiring book. If you read and study the book with patience and with one eye on the big picture, it can be immensely helpful in regards to discipleship. Far too many Christians view the book as something to be feared.

Later this week, I'll write my thoughts about chapter 1…peace and grace to you all!