This morning I engaged in the American democratic process by casting my vote in the primary elections in the state of Florida, knowing that this particular state will be a major deciding factor in who becomes the Republican nominee.Now I really don't care who you voted for. Well, I do, but - I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. What I can do is I can tell you how I felt after voting this morning... a certain sense of futility. A sense that even if I did not vote for what I deemed the worst possible option, I wasn't voting for an option that seemed much better in many ways. And November will likely not leave me feeling much different.
But before I fall into the all-too-easy lament of how our world is going to hell in a hand basket, I had to reorient myself to one very important thing. No matter how dismal things may seem—my trust lies not in any candidate, any government or nation. Things may absolutely continue to get worse—such is the nature of living in a broken world. Such are the ways of nations and empires. They rise and they fall. We may be hurtling down a path of no return that will make what has been a relatively easy life for many of us much more difficult and frightening. However, I do not intend to allow the fears and changes we are all witnessing to get in the way of one very important thing: God's promises.
Many of you know that one of my strange Biblical "obsessions" is the book of Revelation. I'm that rare breed of Lutheran who doesn't avoid it and actually finds it to be an amazing and fascinating book filled with symbolism, promises, beauty - and political commentary.
Yikes. Religion and politics. There are two worlds that we wish would never meet, yet always seem to be intertwined in very real ways. Jesus I'm sure would have preferred not to have been crucified due to religion and politics being so closely tied together. Despite "separation of church and state" our reality is that politics and religious issues are always linked because for a large majority of people, their faith and their core beliefs inform their politics, what policies they support and don't support, what candidates they support and don't support.
Now to be clear, this is not a post about how the end of the world is nigh. No, I do not think that Revelation was speaking specifically about 21st century American politics. I don't think it was speaking specifically about any one world figure (except Jesus, of course). To do so would be to fall prey to the idea that America is somehow exceptional in all of the world's history and that the world and history revolves around, well, us. I refuse to think that all of human history culminates in our little 200 year old democratic experiment in this time and place. Perhaps it does, but that doesn't seem like the most faithful way to acknowledge all the saints who have come before us and who will likely follow us.
What I DO think however is that Revelation does still have something to say about our current state of affairs.
Wait... what?
Let me explain... Revelation isn't about a road map to the future. It's about unveiling the true nature of systems in our world. At its core, John's Revelation was a commentary on the Roman system with its oppressive military that kept the peace (the Pax Romana) by violently stifling and suppressing any form of dissent. However the imagery utilized was not meant to speak solely of Rome—hence it never references Rome by name but instead refers to other oppressive empires from Israel's past that were bent on conquest through war and subjugation such as the Babylonian Empire. Thus images like the beast are more appropriately understood as representing governmental and "beastly" systems that operate in such ways. These types of regimes are nothing new in our world. We've seen them rise and fall numerous times over human history. Because if humanity is anything, it is consistent in its ability to repeat the mistakes of the past. (Don't believe me? Read the entire Old Testament... or even just the book of Judges. Then read up on the past few thousand years worth of world history).
American self-centered exceptionalism is what tends to make us think that Revelation was showing a step by step vision of modern American and Middle East politics. It may be in some way - but probably not in the way you think. John wasn't seeing tanks and battles that were two thousand years into the future. He was seeing images and symbols that could not be tied to any one place and time.
Instead, Revelation utilizes "type" figures for us to look at and begin to see where in our own world we see the beast and its false prophets, etc. In John's day, the beast/false prophet was a not-so-veiled reference to Rome and Emperor Nero - who was killed but lived and "had two horns like a lamb but spoke like a dragon." (Meaning, he had savior qualities that many people clung to—Emperor's were frequently called "the son of God" just like Jesus—but the stuff the beast/false prophet was spewing was clearly coming from the dragon.)
Yet, not every aspect of the beast and false prophet fit Nero - nor was it intended to. The figures incorporate other leaders and empires from Israel's past that were enemies of God. So rather than trying to pin the identity down to a particular individual, when readers of Revelation years later (because Nero was actually dead by the time Revelation was written) would see such leaders arise, it would be the acknowledgement, "It's like Nero all over again."
Our more modern equivalent is to say, "It's Hitler all over again."
Revelation forces us to look at what the characteristics are of "the beast" versus the characteristics of "the lamb" and then goes: who do you belong to? The beast... or the lamb?" Where do your loyalties lie? With worldly systems, or with God? Where does your trust ultimately reside? And do you live accordingly?
This is the primary question that all of Revelation revolves around. What systems and forces are you willing to compromise and support, and which are you not? Does it oppress and promote an unjust system for anyone (in particular the poor, downcast, refugee, etc.)? Do you feel despair and think, "who is like the beast, and who can make war against him?" because it seems so overwhelming and unstoppable? (I get up every morning and pretty much feel this way whenever I watch the news.)
Now Revelation has some pretty frightening images - too many to go into here (if you want to delve more deeply into this imagery, here's my self-serving promotion for a 6 session video-based study on Revelation that I created about a year ago. www.reclaimingrevelation.com) - but its message is not to cause us to despair.
Quite the opposite. In answer to the question who can stand, or who can make war against the beast, there is a response.
The Lamb and the Word of God. Faithful witness to Christ and his ways. Revelation is not meant to make us give up and "accept the inevitable destruction of our world" and just sit back and watch chaos unfold... but rather is calling us to change. To wake up! (see the message to Sardis) and continue to witness to God's promises through Christ. Because ultimately - that is what wins the "battle of Armageddon." Not bombs and nukes... but Christ wielding the Word of God, the sword of his mouth. People's hearts are not changed by force, violence or disaster. It is through the witness and sacrifices of the faithful that people eventually turn and repent giving glory to God. (Rev. 11)
Because ultimately one of the most disturbing - yet hopeful - images is when the beast turns upon the harlot and devours her.
You may be thinking I have a strange and twisted image of hope. Probably. However, it is a reminder that evil destroys evil. It turns in on itself. It ultimately will self-destruct. The sad reality, however, is before that happens, a lot of pain and suffering will happen in the meantime, because that is its nature. It will not last because its nature is too violent and destructive that it can't help but turn in on itself and its allies. The harlot is symbolic of all the opulence and splendor that empires like Rome offered, but is called a harlot because ultimately to engage with that splendor that rides the beast is to prostitute and defile oneself with its garish excesses that typically result in the oppression and slavery of people and nations—all the things that are in opposition to God and his ways.
The call to leave Babylon is not a call to physically exit a city - but to no longer participate in its ways. (In our context, that doesn't mean you don't vote, etc. it means to be aware of the powers that are at play and to not contribute more fully to oppressive elements. To vote and try to change the path of our future is a freedom that those under Roman rule never had... but even in a democratic process there is the warning to be careful, because aligning oneself with a power that seeks to rip those freedoms away in order to offer you, personally, more worldly security by oppressing others will always take you down a path that is the opposite of the lamb - and more like the beast.)
Are we able to see any of these similarities in our world today? In our own country and nation? Of course. We'd be blind not to.
But the message of Revelation is the same to us as it was to those seven churches in Asia Minor: hold fast to your faith, do not be swayed by rhetoric and violence that masquerades as true power. Use the imagery of Revelation to help unveil the true nature of things in our world that seek to divide and destroy us rather than to unite and build us up as God's people.
Because one thing is certain — Christ ultimately wins and defeats the beastly systems of our world. They are ultimately destroyed and to "to those who conquer, I will give the crown of life."
That crown comes not from any worldly power or nation - but from Christ and Christ alone.
We may not be able to change the course of our government and political system, but that is not where our trust lies anyway. That is not where we find our hope. That is not where true freedom exists. So no matter what happens - do not despair. God ultimately conquers, and the "end of the human story" is just the beginning of the story of life lived in full community with God.
Should Christ return tomorrow... HOORAY! But in the meantime—and we have no idea how much longer that meantime will be — remember in all things to remain true to the one who gives REAL security and everlasting peace, and does not offer empty promises that serve only selfish desires and feed our worldly fears.
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