Some years ago, one of my roles as dad to two small boys, was as the storyteller. Once they were ready for sleep, we would sit on the bed and I would tell my two sons a story. These were unplanned stories, with no previous thought having gone into them. I never knew how they were going to start or where these stories would lead, as their soft toy animals were brought to life in crazy and funny adventures. At times we were laughing so loud that we could be heard downstairs.
The key to the success of any story is that you have a good narrator. The job of a narrator is to set the scene, to tell you what's going on and explain to the audience any key moments of the story. Many a listener would give up or get restless if they weren't making sense of what they were hearing.
Although some of us will have difficulty reading the book of Revelation, it's actually well narrated, with songs explaining what is taking place and setting the scene. Each song leads us, unveiling a thread of the Gospel message of God and his Christ that is present throughout the whole book. From these songs we get context:
"Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created" (Rev 4:11).
THE CONTEXT
In this segment we glimpse the throne room of heaven, where God is revealed in his sovereign power. He is responsible for our existence. He is present over this world. He is sustaining all things. He is the one who is in charge, unrivalled in honour, glory and power. It is all about the one revealed as the I AM who is responsible for the earth, having set the world in motion. He will not relinquish this responsibility to another.
We also get the content:
"And they sang a new song, saying: "Worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals; for you were slain, and purchased for God with your blood people of every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Rev 5:9-10).
THE CONTENT
Of humankind, whom the unveiling scenes impact, we're viewing events from a heavenly perspective, where John encounters an impasse of seismic proportions. Proceedings are prevented from continuing until the issue is resolved. Darkness has gained a foothold upon the earth, handed over by its first inhabitants. A legal document (brought about by forbidden fruit), binding the earth is sealed, preventing the commencement of the reclamation of God's world. John learns that only one who has set foot on the earth and proved themselves worthy, has the power to revoke the agreement that binds the earth. But such a person remains elusive.
Furthermore, one like a dragon, who has attempted to claim this territory awaits the birth of the one prophesied to be Israel's hero, in an attempt to devour earth's only hope (Rev 12:4). His target is one from the tribe of Judah; a lion, powerful, and able to conquer evil, who would be born who would lead the people to freedom (Gen 49:9-10).
Finally an angel steps forward to announce the return of the King upon heaven's stage. This one is worthy of the title the Lion of Judah. Yet he who enters is changed in his appearance. The word of God, the Ancient of Days, who set foot on the earth and lived as a man, comes in as one who has endured a violent death as a humble lamb, yet he moves as one who is alive. This is a role willingly submitted to, in order to be fully worthy for the breaking of the legal agreement sealing up the document that kept humankind bound. But make no mistake, although we may think he is docile, this Lamb retains all of his lion-heart and power (Rev 6:16-17).
With the document now unsealed, its restrictions binding the earth are removed. God and his Lamb can go about the process of taking back the earth to make all things new. Just as the earth came about through a process of formation and creation, it must now endure a process of de-creation. And like the plagues that preceded the Hebrews' escape from Egypt, which declared the gods of this world to be inadequate, our world is being prepared for the salvation of our God. And we are informed of a conclusion:
"Now the salvation, and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come" (Rev 12:10).
THE CONCLUSION
This is a story about God and his people on the earth. Where the trickery of the enemy has left humankind bound, but where God has taken steps to make us free. The effects of the de-creation of the earth are like alarm bells, ringing out that something is wrong in this world. They sound the note of urgency, that time is finite, where judgement is coming upon all evil and an end is in sight, before things are made new.
We are left in no doubt, this Lion-Lamb will return to conquer his earth. As a champion victorious in battle, he rides a white horse onto his earth. His clothes are dipped in his own blood of self-sacrifice, ready now to bring the final blow, overthrowing his enemies and rescuing those who have remained faithful to him. Those who have kept their allegiance to the Lamb have done so through persecution and suffering, targeted by the dragon in acts of vindictive vengeance. Yet there is no stopping God's rescue plan. The legal document has been overruled. Everything now moves toward a time when heaven and earth will meet in all fullness, glory and power and all things will be made new. God will be with his people and we will share in his royal inheritance.
Now that the narrator has set the scene, in an instant everything becomes clear. It has been said that the book of Romans is like a fourth Gospel. Maybe the book of Revelation could be viewed as the fifth Gospel! What is situated at the heart of the book of Revelation is the thread of the Gospel. The story of the incarnation of God's Son, Jesus, upon the earth and the rescue of those who will believe in him.
If you were inspired by this blog, Paul has written a book that goes through the book of Revelation in 49 devotions. Originally written for young people, these are enjoyed by young and old alike. Each devotion is about a 4 minute read, and is followed by a journalling page or specially designed prayer space to enable the reader further connect with God. Paul studied at Moorlands College for his BA in Applied Theology, and more recently has earned an MA in The Bible and Ministry in the Contemporary world at Belfast Bible College. Paul has served as a Youth Pastor for over 20 years.
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Photo of Lion by: K. Mitch Hodge - Unsplash
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