The Final Chapter of the Story (S12 Episode26)

One final week in the book of Revelation which will take us to the book's final vision. For all the fantastical images of the book, with its cosmic rock opera battle, what is the book pointing us toward? John was of course writing to churches that were filled with melancholy and despair (which feels relatable these days). Some of these churches had suffered, some had simply given up and tried to get cozy with an empire no one thought could be resisted. To these weary and run-down churches, John the Revelator provides one final vision for them. That vision, for me, has long been a source of hope and inspiration. His vision has felt, over the years, like someone throwing me a life preserver whenever it feels like I am drowning. I love John’s final vision. His vision is deeply personal for me.
 
Of course, like the rest of the book, it is cloaked in imagery and symbolism.  We will have to talk about being lost while hiking, wade into the age old debate of whether the journey, or destination, is more important. We will also need to wade into the not-so-subtle sexual imagery of the vision.  I hope John’s final vision might do for your faith what it has done for mine.