Thursday 7th December - Revelation 6

Today’s chapter is Revelation 6

Tom writes:

The lamb begins to enact the plan. Is this future stuff? Or has it already happened? Or is it both?? There is much debate about that, but the passage doesn’t major on it and nor should we. To try to pin these verses to specific years is to miss the inclination of the revelation. For the inclination of the revelation is the exaltation of the Hope of Nations. The Lamb - the hope of nations - opens six seals. He does it deliberately and easily. All eyes are on him. The Living Creatures follow his every whim. Vast spiritual horses advance at his flick of their bridle. Men receive judgement from him. Martyrs receive compassion from him. Neither can change his timetable or intentions. All the cosmic constants quake and change because he wants them to. The Lamb - the one who oversaw creation - now oversees decreation as if he were whipping up an omelette. He does what he wants. And no one can stop him. This is our God. Jesus may have died on the cross, his church may be being maligned and marginalised but this Lamb ain’t weak and his stance ain’t insecure. All the pretenders to the throne of the earth will eventually see that. They may have to suffer to see that, or they may see it up front. But in the end they will see it.

This isn’t a threat to the church. This is an encouragement to the church. It might seem right now that all the power - literally all the power and influence lies with the likes of President Putin or Lady Gaga or Elon Musk or even our boss at work. And it might seem that they can do whatever they want whenever they want and we just have to suck it up. But that appearance is false. In the end all of the “kings of the earth” are going to hide in the mountains in an attempt to escape the gaze of the Lamb. He was the only one who could open the scroll. And seal by seal he enacts the Father’s plan. Everything will be shaken. Every single fallacy in creation will be unmasked and undone when Jesus wants it to be so. Everything will be de-created except the church of Jesus Christ (which might even include Lady Gaga). And so - Kingdom and Priests - we should honour the lamb. Let’s keep our eyes fixed on him and stay faithful to him in our trials.

Question for reflection

How does this passage encourage you to hope more in Jesus?