Follow the Lamb - 21 Day Study on the Book of Revelationናሙና

Day 2: For Whom Was the Book of Revelation Written?

Scripture Reading:

‘Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.’ (NRSV)

- 2 Corinthians 12.10 (NRSV)

John was in exile on the isle of Patmos when he wrote the Revelation. According to tradition, he’s the only one of the 12 apostles who wasn’t directly killed for his faith. Way back around 197 AD, Christian writer Tertullian wrote the famous phrase, ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church’. Over the centuries, many prophets and protestors against injustice have been imprisoned and killed by the powerful in attempts to silence them. For some, the persecution has come by political leaders, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who wouldn’t join the version of the German church controlled by the Nazis or Christians fed to the lions by the Romans. For others, sadly, persecution happened within the Church. Tudor England saw Protestant Christians executed under Queen Mary I, then Roman Catholic Christians executed under her half-sister, Queen Elizabeth I. Even today, we hear Christians dissing other churches and ways of worshipping. When I arrived to take up ministry in a small country town, Roman Catholics would introduce themselves as, ‘Hi, I’m…. I’m the opposition.’ I’d invariably say, ‘No, we’re on the same side. Satan is the opposition.’

In Chapters 2 and 3 of the Revelation, John writes to seven churches. In Chapter 18 he writes of the fall of Babylon, the evil place of corrupt political power in the world. But Revelation is not just a comfy history lesson, in which we can smirk at churches which have gone astray before us, or the cruel Roman Empire. The Revelation calls us to look at our own churches, our own political structures, and add our voices and actions to those of the apostles, of Bonhoeffer, of Martin Luther King Jr, of all who seek to address wrong, and, with John the Baptist, prepare the way of the Lord, to make ready the earth to meet her King.

Some things to think about:

1. If you could be a Marvel superhero and do good in the world, what do you think would be your most useful superpower?
2. Do you have a favourite hero(ine)? Why do you admire them?
3. Have you ever had to challenge a leader (maybe a teacher, church worker or boss)? What did that feel like?

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for giving me your Holy Spirit so I can be close to you and discern right pathways. Thank you for creating this world, and for the assurance that it will be redeemed through your Son. Give me strength to be Jesus’ voice, hands and feet in my community. In Jesus’ name. Amen.