Thursday 27 November 2008

Background

Mystery and symbolism are part and parcel of the book ofRevelation. (For a very brief explanation see here). Just occasionally the symbolism is explained - in verse8 the meaning of "linen" is described as "the righteous deeds ofthe saints".

The picture here is of a wedding celebration. Throughout the Biblethe most intimate and exclusive of human relationships has beenused as a model for the relationship between God and God's people.This is why a wedding is the appropriate setting for thecelebration of that relationship, with joyful crowds gathered andmuch feasting.

But a lamb? Here we are drawn into the language of sacrifice, thethought-world of the Old Testament, which provided the writers ofthe New Testament with a resource for understanding the apparentlymeaningless death of Jesus. A lamb was sacrificed to heal thedamaged relationship between humanity and God. From our vantagepoint in the 21st century, we don't need to be distracted byquestions about how the killing of a lamb was supposed to bringabout this reconciliation - just remember that this was the way inwhich people made clear the great seriousness with which they tookthat relationship and the careful attention they paid to ensuringit was maintained.

Christians influenced by that tradition came to see Jesus in therole of that lamb - the ultimate means by which the relationshipbetween humanity and God could be restored and kept in goodorder.

But suddenly there is a switch. The lamb is now cast as thebridegroom. In the Old Testament world, the sacrificed lamb wasoffered to God and consumed in a great feast. In the New Testamentworld, the Resurrection rewrites the script completely, and therelationship of mutual commitment is sealed with a wedding ceremonyin which Jesus and his Church are united for ever.

To Ponder

In our world, almost everything has been turnedinto a disposable commodity. Choice is everything. We change ourbuying habits and our choice of holiday destinations simply asexpressions of our freedom of choice. Permanent irrevocablecommitments have no place, because they deny us choice. In such aworld, how can we give real value to the idea of unswerving,permanent commitments?

What are your permanent irrevocable commitments?How do you maintain them in good order?