Revelation

So, our summer series on Revelation culminated tonight! Mike Voll gave an excellent presentation tonight that kind of wrapped everything up that we studied over the summer. The series was an exploration into the seven letters to the seven churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John, and included books 1 through 5. Tonight was Revelation 4 and 5.

The night began with a listen to Johnny Cash read books 4 and 5. I never heard him speak so clearly and with such excellent enunciation. His voice was beautiful for reading.

These two books are fairly difficult for me. There is a lot of imagery to handle and to explore the meaning of. Mike did an excellent job of helping us see the meaning.

There are two distinct areas of my faith and life that were touched upon tonight. One area is the area of perspective or what I would call the intellectual me. In this area, I was reminded that "things are not as they seem." The meaning of things in my life is formed by my frame of reference. This can be very hard to remember. Also in this area, I was reminded that "the way to fullness is the way of the Lamb." The intellectual me knows these things and understands the perspective. The other me -- I guess you would say the fleshy me -- is having a hard time with these concepts. Note to self: Ask God for perspective in the flesh.

The other area is my image of God. Tonight he was called "eternally contemporary" and constant or unchanging. I love that. Around the throne -- EVERYTHING and EVERYONE is worshipping God. EVERYTHING. Beasts and all! And, He sits already victorious on the throne. He already suffered and conquered all -- sin, evil, temptation, Satan, death -- there is nothing He did not already suffer and conquer because of us, for us and instead of us. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS ACCEPT IT!