Revelation and Human Reality Session 62 A-level Amphitheater LLUMC April 16, 2011, 10:30-11:30 AM

Revelation and the Relentless Quest for Clarity “Now! …That should clear up a few things around here!”

Impediments to Seeing Vegard Dahl

Seeing Things Clearly  Well, I tried the best I could …but something inside of me kept saying, ‘There was the Sunday-school, you could a gone to it; and if you’d a done it they’d a learnt you there that people that acts as I’d been acting about that nigger goes to everlasting fire.’ -- Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Seeing Things Clearly  It was a close place. I took it up, and held it in my hand. I was a-trembling, because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself: ‘All right, then, I’ll GO to hell’ — and tore it up. -- Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Healing of the Nations  “There is no remedy for your injuries, and your wounds cannot be healed” (Nahum 3:19)  “I wanted to heal Israel, but its sins were far too great" (Hosea 7:1)  “But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until..He could no longer heal them” (2 Chron 36:15,16).  “We wanted to heal Babylon, but it couldn't be healed” (Jer 51:8,9).  “People of Egypt…All your medicine has proved useless; nothing can heal you” (Jer 46:12).

Talking about God 1.The language of healing is not inferior, second-class terminology for talking about God and what God is up to in the world. 2.Specifically, giving preference to the language of healing might be the remedy for the most negative consequences of theology that is one-sidedly welded to legal terminology. 3.Revelation revels in the language of healing.

Epilogue: Trustworthiness and Trust  NRS Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.“  NRS Revelation 22:7 "See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Ministry of Angels  NRS Revelation 22:8-9 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"

A Point of No Return  NRS Revelation 22:10-11 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

Jesus and the Divine Identity – 1  NRS Revelation 22:12-13 "See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone's work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."

Jesus and the Divine Identity – 2  Isa 44:6 “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me.”  Isa 41:4 “Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He.”  Isa 48:12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last.”

Incentives and Disincentives  NRS Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates.  NRS Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Love and Freedom 1.Whether there is a hell is indeed a question about the love of God. 2.Whether there is universal salvation is a question about freedom.

King and Revealer  NRS Revelation 22:16 “It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 1.Allusion to Isaiah 11: Davidic kingship has a cosmic scope. 3.Jesus, not the erstwhile ‘morning star,’ is the true revealer.

Message of the Bible in One Word?  NRS Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.

Accessing Deeper Needs  Isa 55:1 Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Isa 41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

Human Need as Thirst  Rev 21:6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”  John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”  John 7:37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me…”

First Things First 1.Revelation is a book of ‘profound theology,’ but its first order of business is to urge the reader to come. 2.Revelation addresses human need on a visceral level, not only on a cognitive or intellectual level. 3.Revelation ends in a vision of vocation: And let everyone who hears say, “Come.” 4.Revelation promises access to the water of life now – in this life.

Importance of Revelation – and of Reading It Aright  NRS Revelation 22:18-19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book; if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

End of Story: Jesus  NRS Revelation 22:20 The one who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

End of Story: John  NRS Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

Ending and Endings  Types of ending: narrative, history, decision, vocation, theology.  Examples of endings:  7 churches  7 seals  7 trumpets  7 bowls  ‘unattached endings’  Which is your ending?