"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 13: In the Belly of the Beast

 

Medieval French Apocalypse Tapestry, produced between 1377-82.

After the dragon (Satan) comes two separate beasts, described in terrifying detail. The first rises from the ocean (Godzilla anyone?) with ten horns and seven heads, with various body parts of a leopard, a lion, and a bear. The second beast rises from the earth, has horns like a ram, and speaks like a dragon. It should not escape our notice that at the end of the First century, gladiatorial combat was a widespread form of entertainment in the Roman Empire. This could play into the "beast" imagery. 

Christians have been speculating for two millennia about what to make of these "beasts," and especially the "number of the beast," which depending on the manuscript, could be either 616 (Grand Rapids, beware!) or 666. Most scholars believe that, based on the Jewish mystic art of gematria (assigning numbers to letters) the number corresponds to the lengthy title of the Roman Emperor at the time, Nero, who was infamous for his persecution of Christians. But of course you couldn't very well send out a letter through Asia Minor telling people "Nero is the servant of Satan" without getting lots of people killed. Therefore, some obfuscation was needed. 

For followers of Jesus, however, the identity of the "beast," or the significance of his number, is beside the point. We should be laser focused on John's clear message in v9-10: 

"Let anyone who has an ear listen: If you are taken into captivity you go; if you kill with the sword, with the sword you will be killed. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints."

Who the beast is, and how to defeat him, is God's problem, not ours. We testify, we endure, and we keep faith. Period. In good times and in the belly of the beast, we are nonviolent followers of the lamb. I will share my poetic interpretation below, but I can't presume to do better than Martin Luther:

Though hordes of devils fill the land,

all threat'ning to devour us,

we tremble not, unmoved we stand, 

they cannot overpow'r us. 

Let this world's tyrant rage;

in battle we'll engage!

His might is doomed to fail;

God's judgment must prevail!

One little word subdues him. 

My poetic interpretation of Revelation 13

13. A wicked beast emerges from the sea

With seven heads, ten horns, ten diadems,

Inscribed all ‘round with names of blasphemy;

He stalks the saints and would make war on them.

No earthly strength of ours can match his might,

Though he gains worship, pow’r and influence;

Forbidden are the saints with swords to fight

Endurance, and the Lamb, are your defense. 

A second beast, with wonders, we behold,

False resurrections count among his feats;

Without his mark shall naught be bought or sold:

And Empire’s number, ever incomplete.

Fear not, when you his vicious wonders see;

The faithful captives soon shall be set free.

    

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 12: One Little Word Subdues Him.

 

The seventh angel has blown the seventh trumpet, but to quote Yogi Berra, "It ain't over til it's over." We are just past the halfway point in John's apocalyptic vision. 

Now, a woman approaches in the sky, who is in labor, giving birth to a royal child. She is being chased by a seven-headed dragon with ten horns. The dragon causes great destruction, and chases the woman and her child, but he does not catch them. The dragon then attacks heaven and is defeated by Michael the archangel and thrown back down to earth.

This chapter is especially thick with symbolic references, to Biblical themes as well as Egyptian and pagan mythology, but again, it is not necessary to "decode" every last detail and find a direct referent in the current or ancient world. Put as simply as possible, the woman appears to stand for the people of Israel, which for John includes the people of the church. The dragon represents evil: Satan himself. Though the dragon rages, he will not win. Heaven is stronger, and God will protect the faithful. 

In a culture that still falls prey to worshiping money, power and military might, one particular verse in this chapter redefines "conquest". 

"the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before God. But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death." 

This is the one and only "battle plan" that will ever come to God's people, even in the direst of circumstances. No cosmic battle, not even with a red seven-headed dragon, will give you any new "marching orders." The plan will not change. The Sermon on the Mount is still in effect. Your testimony to Jesus is the only weapon you need.  

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 12

12. In heav’n appears a woman clothed with sun,

A crown of stars, the moon beneath her feet,

Chased by a ten-horned dragon, ancient one,

Who casts down stars, and waits, her child to eat.

The angel Michael casts the serpent down;

On earth he knows the shortness of his days

Accusing peaceful ones, who take his crown,

Who, facing death, remain the Lamb’s always.

Rejoice, you heavens! Woe to earth and sea!

 The dragon in his fury now pursues

In wilderness the woman safe shall be:

The earth defends, in brilliant greens and blues.

The greater pain brings near eternity;

The faithful and the patient shall be free. 

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 11: Blessed to Be a Witness

 

The Greek word for "witness" is "martyros", where we get our English word "martyr." This should be fresh in our minds as we read about the two "witnesses" in Revelation 11. The signs they perform (preventing rain and turning the water to blood) directly correspond to Elijah and Moses, whom Jews traditionally believed would return before the Messiah came. In John's vision, they are killed for speaking the truth, then raised again. Interestingly, though, neither Elijah nor Moses were killed for their testimony to God's truth. Elijah was taken into heaven without dying. Moses led Israel for many years and died a natural death. Most witnesses do not share the same fate. 

The first century Christians for whom Revelation was written knew that testifying to their faith came at a cost. Toward the end of the first century, persecution of Christians was ramping up, and it would be at least another two hundred years before Christianity became an accepted faith. In the meantime, Christian witnesses were quite literally martyrs more often than not. 

In a culture where Christianity has been centered and been the "default faith" for many centuries, it's likely that none of us knows someone who has been imprisoned or died for their faith. But that does not mean it isn't happening in other parts of the world. And it doesn't mean it can't happen here. Revelation 11 reminds us to open our hearts to the witness of our neighbors, even if we don't share their experience or agree with all of their conclusions. Even in our own country, people are being deprived of life and liberty for speaking the truth. We must bear witness. 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 11

11. He gave a staff, to measure out God’s house

Yet more to measure those who dwell therein,

“But measure nothing else, which lies without;

The nations rage and trample there with sin.”

Two witnesses are speaking in the court

With Moses and Elijah’s signs endued.

The beast crawls up to silence their report

On the fourth day, from death, their lives renewed.

The seventh trumpet, in its time, now blows

And finally to earth God’s kingdom comes.

The nations rage, to meet their final woe:

The judgment of the dead has now begun,

Destroying the destroy’rs of land and sea;

Let those who lean on grace now be set free. 

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 10: Doomscrolling

 

In John's mystical vision, six of seven seals have been opened, and six of seven trumpets have sounded. Yet with each passing chapter another can of worms gets opened, and another drama plays out, delaying what readers and listeners might assume would be the end of the book, and God's ultimate vision for the universe. 

In this interlude, John sees a great angel descending, but instead of blowing a trumpet, the angel shouts, and "seven thunders" sound, giving John a message. The number seven in Revelation comes up many times as a number of completeness. John is told to keep this message secret until the end. 

But John won't remain silent for long. The angel gives him a scroll, and a voice tells him to eat it. It is sweet to his mouth but bitter to his stomach. This is a direct reference to Ezekiel ch 2-3, which describes God's commissioning of the prophet. Although it may feel like an honor at first, a "sweet" deal, to be given God's word to share with others, their reaction, and the implications of what God has to say, can often leave us with "bitter" discomfort. If you'll pardon the pun, the prophets were the original "doomscrollers." 

Yet, the more I think about the modern phenomenon of "doomscrolling"--the constant, unrelenting intake of grim news and worst-case analysis, the paralyzing fear that comes from instantly knowing everytime something goes wrong in the world and feeling responsible for it, yet having precious little control over it--the more I think that prophetic writing can be a tool to help us out of it. 

Prophets tell a truth from God that sees beyond the immediate struggles of the current moment. God sees a conflict of values in our lives that goes back to the beginning of humankind. There is no new kind of selfishness, bigotry or greed under the sun. The prophets, whose writings predate even the Biblical creation story as we now know it, have always had the word that cuts to our heart. 

Yet God's prophets also see a possibility in humankind, a vision from God, that seems utterly impossible to reach without God's help. In fact, without God's help, we wouldn't even be able to imagine it. Just a reminder, as Revelation gets even weirder and more disturbing, that vision is where we're headed, and the journey will absolutely be worth it. So let's break free of doomscrolling for a while, and rest in God's vision.

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 10

10. A mighty angel down from heaven comes

And in his hand he holds an open scroll.

His legs, pillars of fire, his face the sun,

He shouts the words that now shall not be told. 

One foot in earth, one on the sea, he stands

Poised with a seventh trumpet, soon to blow

“In coming days, what none now understands

The mysteries of God, all life will know.”

“But first, take you the open scroll, to eat

And swallow whole, once more to prophesy

Of lands and kings–and though its taste be sweet

With bitter stomach, you will make your cry.”

Still, sweet or bitter, truth as truth must be,

And those who speak it fully shall be free. 

 

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 9: A Bug's Life

 

As an angel blows the fifth of seven trumpets, a bottomless pit is opened, and out come locusts. This, again, echoes the plagues in the Book of Exodus, used to force Pharaoh to liberate the enslaved Israelites. Unlike those common locusts, however, these locusts are commanded not to touch any plant life, but only to harm humans who are not under God's protection. Their job is not to kill--in fact, even humans who long for death will not receive it--but again, the goal is repentance. 

The sixth trumpet releases a vast cavalry, riding in from the river Euphrates. This was the eastern border of the Roman Empire, home of the Parthian Empire, Rome's bitter rivals in modern-day Iran. Even though these soldiers kill a third of humankind, those who survive do not "repent of the works of their hands, or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk."  

This imagery is terrifying, and it's meant to be. It should not be taken literally. Some of my takeaways are: 

1) Even what seem like demonic forces are under God's control, and their purpose is to turn people to God. 

2) Unlike most all human military campaigns, the attack of the locusts is not harmful to wildlife: there is no collateral damage to the grass or the trees or any of God's creatures. This is humankind's problem. 

3) Even though it seems terrible that people would seek death and not find it, this again is showing that the goal is not retribution but a change of heart. This reminds me of one of my favorite verses from the prophet Ezekiel: "I have no pleasure in the death of anyone. Turn then, and live." (Ez 18:32)

My Poetic Interpretation of REVELATION 9  

9. The first woe comes upon fifth trumpet’s sound: 

Unlocked and loosened is the smoky pit

With scorpion’s sting, wherever lies are found,

But all green growth, in blessed peace may sit.

Dread locusts, crowned in gold, with lion’s teeth

With scorpion’s tail and noise of roaring wings

Have months of pain, but never death, unsheathed

And Abaddon, Destruction, is their king. 

The second woe, sixth trumpet, grants release

To those four-cornered angels, lately bound.

Vast fire-breathing lion cavalries

Bring death to one in three whom they surround.

Still, humans worship gold, which cannot see

The changed and the repentant shall be free. 

  

"Have An Apocalyptic Day". Chapter 8: "Stop, Hey, What's That Sound?"

 

The Seventh and final seal is broken.
Instead of instantaneous action, we have silence.
Heaven itself--which is in praise and worship unceasing, for eternity--stands completely silent for half an hour. 

Seven angels stand with seven trumpets, but they don't make a sound just yet.

first, an angel with a censer full of incense, with the prayers of the saints, approaches God's altar. Once the prayers and incense reach the altar, then the altar sends forth thunder, lightning, and earthquakes on the earth. 

The first four angels blow their trumpets, unleashing plagues on the earth, not meant just for vengeance, but to bring the people on earth to repentance. Many of them are similar to the plagues unleashed on Pharaoh in the Book of Exodus, in God's effort to convince him to liberate the people of Israel. Bruce Metzger in his commentary "Breaking the Code," also notes that burning mountains and darkened skies bears some resemblance to the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 CE. John's hearers would certainly have heard of this calamity. 

The silence in heaven is striking. A song that has existed through eternity, outside of time as we know it, takes a pause, not for a great proclamation from God or some anointed prophet, but to listen to our prayers. And when our prayers reach the altar, thunder and lightning come rolling in. 

God listens to us. In my busy daily life, I feel I hardly take time even to listen to myself. If the angels of eternity have half an hour to spare for us, what on earth--so to speak--is keeping me so busy that I don't have fifteen minutes to talk with God? What thunder and lightning could be unleashed--what transformation and change, within us and outside us, could take place, if we really prayed as though heaven were grinding to a halt for us? 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 8

8. The seventh seal, with rev’rent awe is met

And heaven, silent, waits for half an hour

With incense, forth from God the angel sets,

The plagues for them who cling to Pharaoh’s pow’r. 

The prayers and incense are a holy fire;

They rumble like a storm across the world.

The seven trumpets wait for God’s desire

To see the plans of justice now unfurled.

The first unleashes hail, and fire, and blood,

Consuming land the wealthy once consumed.

The second, third: fresh water is wormwood,

The seas, with greed once claimed, now meet their doom. 

The fourth strikes heaven’s light, that all may see

Great woes, until we set creation free. 

  

 

  

"Have An Apocalyptic Day." Chapter 7: God Bless The World

 

Before the seventh seal is broken, John of Patmos sees two visions meant to be a comfort to God's people. 

The first vision concerns the people of Israel: twelve thousand from each of Israel's twelve tribes are given God's royal seal, a sign of being under God's protective authority, come what may. This number should not be taken literally, because throughout the Bible, twelve is a number of completeness. Nobody is missing from this family. 

Then, the vision expands, from an earthly group, from one nation, carefully accounted for, to a heavenly group, from ALL nations, which is uncountable. In heaven, nations, tribes and languages do not disappear--John still sees them distinctly--but they no longer serve as a dividing line between people. They are united in worship and praise, and they are all free of suffering. 

When September 11th happened, I was in my third year of college. The phrase "God Bless America" saw a resurgence, as did the Irving Berlin song of the same name, which had been relatively obscure before that point. I distinctly remember lawmakers of both parties singing it together from the capital steps just days after the attacks. In some ways I long for that kind of unity today. 

At the same time, I saw in the message of Jesus a contrast to the centering of one nation for God's blessing. Every Sunday, I heard in the liturgy, 

For the peace of the whole world, for the wellbeing of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord...

I decided to put my own personal prayers to music. The first verse of the song I wrote was, 

God Bless America, united we stand,

but don't just bless my country; 

bless the whole land. 

God bless Asia, and Africa, too,

and if you've been suffering, may God bless you.  

Revelation's vision of an international, uncountable crowd united in worship reminds us that humankind's true unity is not to be found in nation or language. We are united in God's love. This is the heavenly worship to which we are invited every time we gather in Jesus' name. 

My poetic interpretation of REVELATION 7

7. Four angels on the earth in corners stand.

The ravages of wind, they hold restrained,

Until God’s servants each are marked by hand,

A multitude that none has yet contained.

Twelve thousand from each tribe of Israel

And untold millions sealed, who sing full-voiced

The blessed song creation knows so well:

“The Lamb salvation owns! Let all rejoice!”

“But who are all these servants, robed in white?”

O elder, I am clueless, but you know.

They are the many, faithful through the fight;

The Lamb’s own blood their faithfulness will show.

No scorching heat, nor hunger shall they see.

The Lamb, their guiding shepherd, then, shall be.