Day 85: Revelation 4-6. Visions of Heaven and Earth

So, in Revelation, chapter 4, we start getting into the nitty-gritty of John's vision.  (One of my friends says that she's not sure what John was smoking, and yes, what he sees is strange, but...) Please note that the vision begins in heaven, not earth.  When we think of the book of Revelation and its visions of destruction, it's important to remember that there are other, alternating visions as well:  visions of worship, visions of the throne of the Lamb.  Those visions are just as important as the other ones (perhaps more so).

So the scene opens with the throne of God (and seven of all sorts of things again).  If you can close your eyes and imagine, it's not only strange, but awesome, with a rainbow like an emerald, and a sea of glass.  There are creatures worshipping around the throne, and they are singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" (sound familiar?).  Many of our hymns come from the book of Revelation.

In chapter 5 there is a scroll to be opened, and no one worthy to open it.  John weeps.  But wait!  There is one who is found worthy to open the scroll!  The "Lion of Judah, the Rot of David" (hint:  that's Jesus) is worthy because he has been victorious.  And the Lion, the Root, steps forward, and guess what?  It is a Lamb.

Hey!  Here's a nice aside:  There are twenty-four elders, each holding a golden bowl of incense, and the bowls represent the prayers of the saints.  Somehow I like that, but I like metaphors.  "Let my prayer rise before you as incense..."

Anyway, at seeing the Lamb, everyone breaks into song again, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain..."  (for Lutherans, this will sound familiar in our liturgy.  Or, if you have heard the Messiah, these words come in as well.)

And then the Lamb opens the seven seals .. and then, literally, "all hell breaks loose"  With each seal comes a new plague.  "Have you ever heard of the "four horsemen of the apocalypse?'  Here's where they come from.  The first horsemen is on a white horse, so some people think he represents goodness, but most believe that since the other four are all negative, that first horseman represents false messiahs.  The other horsemen are war, famine and death.  Some people think that these represent special forces at the end times.  but others (and I am one of them) would like to point out that all these things:  false messiahs, famine, war and death, exist in every time and place.

So, a whole bunch of bad stuff is happening.  Six of the seven seals have been opened.

What will happen next?

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