Tuesday 29 September 2015

Psalm: Psalm 103

Background

Many Christians turn to Revelation simply expecting 'to find outwhat happens in the end'. Yes, there is a 'happy ending', butthere's so much more to it than that. This extraordinary book isthe account of a vision by John (who may or may not be the apostleand/or gospel-writer John), written to offer hope, warning andencouragement to the churches around the end of the 1st century AD- a time of great turmoil and persecution. It's impossible to readthis book as 'simply' a prophetic foretelling of the future,because it is not 'simple' at all. Rich in symbolism and code,covering the present reality in heaven and on earth, and theongoing workings of God, as well as passages which reflect thefinal consummation of God's eternal kingdom, it is impossiblemerely to open this book and understand what it going on withouthelp in understanding Old Testament theology (which shapes theimages) and the political context at the time. It begins with sevenletters from Jesus to seven prominent churches, and it ends withthe wonderful vision of the new heavens and the new earth, but thechapters in between are dark, frightening and uncomfortable, andthe cause of much confusion!

Today's reading has been chosen for the Feast of St Michael andAll Angels, otherwise known as Michaelmas. On this day, the WesternChurch has traditionally celebrated the end of the harvest bycommemorating the victory of the Archangel Michael over Satan (thedragon, the Devil) in heaven. With Satan's banishment from heaven,there follows a time of his marauding on earth, but there is agreat sense in this reading that he has, in fact, been truly andactually defeated.

Chapter 12 marks a new section of Revelation: the ceremonialworship in the courtroom of heaven has seen the seven seals openedand the seven trumpets blown (with all of their awesome andfrightening consequences). Now we begin to consider the victory ofGod from a new angle. In verses1-6, there is a woman who gives birth. Verse 5 clearly revealsthat this child is the Christ. The woman may be Mary, but it is farmore likely to represent the people of God - Israel, which givesbirth to Jesus, and then the Church. (Or it could possiblyrepresent all of humanity; the woman therefore would be Eve.) Thedragon waits to devour the child, but he is snatched away to thethrone of heaven. In verses13-17, the dragon continues to pursue the children of thewoman. In between, in our passage for today, there is a celebrationof victory. Michael and the angels have cast the Devil and hisentourage out of heaven following a great war - a concept sodifficult to imagine that some commentators believe it isfigurative language. But the key to our passage comes in the greatproclamation (verses 10-12): here we hear of "the salvation and thepower and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah"(v. 10). The Satan has been thrown down by the angels, "but theyhave conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word oftheir testimony" (v. 11). The 'they' in this verse is clearly notthe angels, but rather the Church, or more specifically thefaithful martyrs and God's servants who have given their life intestimony to Jesus. God is already celebrating the victory of theChurch!

Verse 12 tells the heavens to rejoice, but the earth must faceongoing strife: the victory has been won, but there is more woe tocome, for a time.

"From strength to strength goon,
wrestle, and fight, and pray,
tread all the powers of darkness down,
and win the well-fought day."
(Charles Wesley) (StF 637)

To Ponder

• Read Jesus' words in Luke10:17-20 (link). Jesus has already seen what is described inRevelation 12. In what sense has this victory over evil 'alreadyhappened'?

• When victory is declared in a war, there is still a lot ofclearing up to do, and the defeated enemy may still strike a fewblows, until the peaceful regime has been firmly established. Isthis a helpful metaphor for understanding Christ's victory and ourpresent state? In what sense is there still more fighting to bedone? And how is the Church equipped for this spiritualbattle?

• How does the 'blood of the Lamb' conquer evil? And how do youunderstand this concept?