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| Photo by Jack Antsley |
Well, today is the day. This is the end of a 22-part devotional blog series, which took me six months to complete. The idea of adapting Revelation to poetic verse came almost a year ago, and with an early surge of inspiration, that part has been done for many months now. Some other potential aspects of this project are in the works, but I'm excited to at least see this part finished. Thanks for reading.
Revelation 22 brings healing closure to John's sometimes terrifying vision. A river of life flows from God's throne in the New Jerusalem. A tree of life--much like the tree in the Garden of Eden--yields twelve kinds of fruits, a number of completeness. The tree's leaves are "for the healing of the nations," which means the city is fully open to Gentiles and Jews alike: all who are descended from Adam and Eve are welcome inside, and they don't have to be perfectly "fixed" in every way to enter the gate. If they did, why would there be healing leaves inside?
The text does say outside the city are all those who "love and practice falsehood." It doesn't say they can never come in. It's just that our lies won't survive in there. Stand at the gate as long as you want, but when you walk in, you step into truth.
The final word from Revelation, and the canonical scriptures, is Jesus' promise, "I am coming soon," and the author's response, "Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" The early generations of Christianity had every hope that they would see Jesus return in their own lifetime, in the same manner he ascended in Luke ch. 24. He didn't, and hasn't yet, but that hasn't dimmed the hope.
Still, I wonder sometimes what our faith would look like if the New Testament's first book--the Gospel of Matthew--was placed last in our scriptures. Matthew doesn't feature Jesus' ascension. It ends with Jesus on a mountain, commissioning his disciples to go and make more disciples, and promising, "I am with you, to the end of the age."
What if the Gospel of John had the last word? John ends with a loving one-on-one conversation between Jesus and Peter. Jesus' final words, after settling one last internal squabble, are, "follow me!" The Gospel ends with the two men sitting by the lake.
Christian theology at its best has a sense of what theologian Walter Bouman called "already, but not yet."
We do still proclaim that Jesus will return, in a way that will be unmistakable, and the Reign of God will bring ultimate healing and justice to this world. This is the "not yet," which can't be denied if we acknowledge that God really does want better for this hurting world.
Yet there is also an "already" to the coming of Christ. When Jesus says at the very beginning of his ministry, "the Kingdom of God is at hand," he means it. In the healing and justice we see here and now, the word of Gospel hope we hear, the sacraments of grace we receive, and the care for the poor they inspire, Jesus is already here. Sitting by a lake, gathering on a mountaintop, prepping food in a kitchen, sitting down to eat with friends and strangers, we can still say, "Amen! Come Lord Jesus!" and trust...
that he will...
and that he did...
and that he is, right here and now.
My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 22
22. Forth from the throne, a living river flows
On either side, grows Eden's Living Tree;
The raging nations, healing now will know
From its twelve fruits, producing constantly.
The servants of the Lamb shall see his face
To worship and to reign beside the throne;
But no accursed thing is in that place,
But those for whom the Lamb's own blood atoned.
I, Brother John, have heard and seen each thing,
Commanded not to seal this worthy tome,
“The time is near; I, Jesus, witness bring,”
The Spirit, bride, and all who thirst, say, “Come.”
Come, Lord Jesus! Though we know not when,
Bring freedom! Grace be with the saints–Amen.
