Given a Monumental Task

John was given a monumental task.

However, when God call us, even to a monumental task, he also gives us the strength, wisdom, and ability to carry out that task. We should also note that the task given may require our every effort; life is not promised to be easy.

What is worthwhile in life is rarely easy; it requires a great deal of our time and attention, and sleepless nights and moments of anxiety and fear; fear that we won’t do the task as it should be done.

The bigger picture of this is displayed in people like Moses who was called by the Lord to lead a group of people from their bondage in Egypt to the freedom of their Promised Land. When we read the stories of the Exodus, we can see Moses task was much like trying to herd cats—the people had all kinds of ideas about how it should be done, and complained continuously about one thing and another, and on a number of occasions some tried to start a rebellion against Moses so they could go back to Egypt—back to bondage.

Our scriptures are filled with storIes of people who were given task to do, had to work hard at doing them, faced a great deal of opposition, but completed their task, because God had called them to it, and God had seen them through it.

John had the monumental task of writing down for the seven churches…and for us…the vision—the Revelation—he was given by the risen Christ. One wonders how John was feeling on that Sunday morning before he heard the voice of the risen Christ. Was the loneliness washing over him? Did he awaken that morning on the verge of tears? Or when his eyes opened that Lord’s Day were they burning with anger because he was forced to live in exile—away from those he loved? As he prepared for the day, did he pray for strength, or was he muttering words of bitterness against the Roman authorities who had exiled him? Did he look out at the beauty of the Island of Patmos and the surrounding Aegean Sea, or did he only see the island and the sea as a prison separating him from those he loved? We should not assume life is going to be all good. As the lyricist Dottie Rambo reminds us,

“Life can’t be all sunshine, or the flowers would die.

The rivers would be desert all barren and dry.”

Sometimes we come to understand that we thank God for the valleys we walk through today. (The song, “Thank You for the Valley” was written by Dottie Rambo.”)

It was while John was in the midst of a storm in life—separated from those he loved, exiled by the Roman authorities on the Island of Patmos—that he received the Revelation, and ultimately passed it on to us. We should never underestimate what we can do in the midst of a storm—the troubles and tribulations of life.

“After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open.” (Revelation 4:1)

Over the years there’s been a lot of talk about the walls of heaven, and much of that talk is in error. Here’s what John saw when he saw the Holy City in his vision: “It has a great, high wall with twelve gates.” (Revelation 21:12) The wall of heaven is not designed to keep people out; the door of heaven, the gates of heaven, are always open and welcoming for those who enter by the way of faith in Christ Jesus—“Its gates will NEVER be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” (Revelation 21:25)

“Come up here,” the voice said to him, “and I will show you what must take place after this.”

And lest we forget, John has been told to write down what he sees. How will he find words to describe this great vision? How does one paint a picture with words? Plus, since much of what he saw related directly to the Roman authorities who were responsible for his exile, what words could he use—what code—to get the message to the mainland and past those same authorities who might read whatever he wrote. There were many reasons why John may have chosen apocalyptic language. It is certainly not easy to understand, and many have put their own interpretation to the words of the Revelation without trying to discover John’s original message and intent. But I digress.

John saw, once he entered the open door, “a throne and one seated on that throne!” It is here that we should take note the one seated on that throne could not be described in words—human words are not adequate to describe the eternal God. The only thing John can write in an attempt to describe the splendor is: “And the one seated on there looks like jasper and carnelian.” The beauty, the majesty, cannot be put into words; John could only grasp for words of splendor— “like jasper and carnelian.”

He does see the rainbow—the sign of hope and the covenant God made with all humanity—over the throne, but this bow is emerald, and again John is trying to find words to paint us a picture of the beauty surrounding the throne of God.

“Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads.” (Revelation 4:4)

Who are these twenty-four elders, and why are they surrounding the throne, and why are they wearing white robes and golden crowns? The symbols in John’s vision should be understood in the biblical traditions.

There were twelve tribes of Israel; the people with whom God made the covenant to be his people, and to reveal God to the world. Jesus called twelve disciples, and ultimately there were twelve apostles. Twelve tribes plus twelve apostles equal twenty-four. And then there’s also this: “It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites…And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:12-14)

Twenty-four elders seated around the throne. The work of God, the rule of God, requires the people of God.