Saturday 01 June 2013

Background

The last book of the Bible - The Revelation to John - issometimes called The Apocalypse of John and is mostly made up of'apocalyptic', 'hidden' or 'symbolic' language about the future.The most enduring sections of the book try to convey the atmosphereof heaven.

Given the impossibility of this task, John uses the language of amagnificent royal court with a great throne room. In his vision hesees a vast hall of judgement and massed choirs of saints andangels. The primary purpose of the occupants of heaven is toworship God.

The sound of the trumpets, the white-robed elders, the flashing ofthe lightning, the flaming torches, the crystal sea and the flyingcreatures are all dedicated to praising God. All of heaven givesglory, honour and power to the one who brought the entire creationinto existence.

To Ponder

• Do you have a favourite choral work in which massed voicesrender a mighty piece of glorious music that stirs you when youhear it? What is it? In what way does it affect you?

• When George Frederic Handel wrote the Hallelujah Chorus in 1741 he echoed thewords of Saint Paul (see 2Corinthians 12:1-3) to describe his experience - "Whether I wasin my body or out of my body as I wrote it I know not. God knows".What do you think he meant?

• In Edward Elgar's musical work The Dream of Gerontius, based onCardinal Newman's 19th-century poem, the man who has died is givena glimpse of the sight of God. He is devastated by the beauty ofwhat he sees and sings, "Take me away". Again, what do you think hemeant by that?