I’ll let you in on a little secret.
If you’ve never quite known what to do with the book of Revelation, you’re in good company.
For nearly two thousand years, thoughtful, faithful Christians have wrestled with its strange imagery, vivid symbolism, and unforgettable visions. Some have found it fascinating. Others have found it frustrating. Many have simply avoided it, figuring there were sixty-five other books of the Bible that seemed a little easier to understand.
I can certainly appreciate that.
Revelation isn’t written like the Gospels. It doesn’t read like Paul’s letters. It doesn’t sound like Proverbs or the Psalms. It speaks a different literary language, and that can make it feel unfamiliar to modern readers.
But unfamiliar doesn’t mean unimportant.
One of the mistakes we sometimes make as Christians is assuming that if a part of the Bible feels difficult, it’s probably best left to someone else. Yet the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, preserved this remarkable book and passed it down from generation to generation. That tells me something. It tells me Revelation has something worthwhile to say, even if we don’t understand every page on the first reading.
This Sunday, we’ll arrive at the final stop on our Route 66 journey through the Bible. Together, we’ll open the book of Revelation.
My hope isn’t that we’ll solve every mystery. Frankly, Christians have been debating some of those mysteries for centuries.
My hope is much simpler.
I hope Revelation becomes just a little less intimidating and a little more inviting.
Because if our spiritual ancestors believed this book was worth preserving, perhaps it’s worth our reading with fresh eyes.
