The Details
Read
John 19:23-27; 20:30-31; Acts 4:1-31
Revelation 1, 4
Revelation 21-22
Psalm 136
Notice
God wins
Look out for
John
Memorize
Revelation 4:11: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Get Ready
John was introduced in the Gospels as one of Jesus’ closest disciples – “The one whom Jesus loved,” and we’re already familiar with his perspective from reading his own Gospel.
To him, the resurrection was everything. Jesus wasn’t just “greater than;” Jesus was divine. And he has a message from the Lord for His disciples…
A little more
A little background
Very little is known about John after his visit to Samaria (Acts 8). Tradition holds that he was connected with the church in Ephesus – perhaps even leading it before or after Paul’s arrival. It’s assumed that he wrote the three brief letters and the Gospel that bear his name. He penned Revelation while in exile on the island of Patmos, “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” as he calls it.
It’s this final work on which I need to concentrate a little. “Apocalyptic” literature – visions which focused on things to come – had been popular among the later Jewish prophets and especially between the Testaments. Revelation is unique in that it is the only Christian work of its type included in the Bible.
John saw something – something he probably could not have understood – and shared it, just like Ezekiel and Zechariah had. Apocalypse was full of visions and symbols: individual parts could mean specific things, or those could have just been contributing to a whole story. The text does not interpret itself, so we should be extremely hesitant to assign exclusive meaning where it’s not demanded.
I know, I know, I know: people the world over believe they have found the key to Revelation, and if I just look through the prism the correct way, I will unlock its secrets and know the “truth.” I’m not writing to those people. I’m writing to people who want to see how the story ends: and I’ll bet that’s what John most wanted for his readers, too.
A little timeline
I’ve already mentioned that nothing is known for sure of John’s work from his visit to Samaria (5-10 years after Jesus’ death), and his emergence on Patmos. According to Christian tradition, it’s assumed he was banished here somewhere between A.D. 81-96, during increased persecutions by Emperor Domitian. John was by now an old man, likely the last remaining disciple.
A little geography
Our readings begin in Jerusalem – at the crucifixion, and later at the Temple. In Revelation, Patmos, the island of John’s exile, was a rocky peg off the coast of Asia Minor. We can picture him there – not exactly in prison, but not allowed to go anywhere – “in the Spirit, on the Lord’s day…”
A little epilogue
There’s not much to know about after the new heaven and a new earth. God wins. It’s been His story from the beginning, and it’s up to Him to write the next chapter.
Getting deeper into the weeds
What can you learn about God’s character, personality, or priorities here?
I took this week’s theme from a story told by New Testament scholar D. A. Carson, which I believe captures the message of Revelation perfectly. Carson’s friend liked to take car trips with his teenage grandson, who was mentally challenged. On their trips, they would often listen to tapes of Scripture readings.
On one trip, all the grandfather had available was Revelation. “Let’s just listen to the radio,” he suggested, but the boy insisted. After listening silently to the whole thing, the grandfather asked, “Well, what did you notice?”
“God wins” was the reply.
He does indeed. From the mouth of babes comes the truth… from the mouth of the innocent, the unaffected, comes the point: God wins. When you’re not looking for anything in particular from any symbol… when you’re not distracted with trying to figure out what’s going on… when you’re just letting the story wash over you… this is the theme that emerges. God wins.
This might be the point. Of course, there are plenty of symbols that the early church might have interpreted, but unlocking them – even if we could – would bring us no closer to meaning. This might just be a message to believers under duress, who wonder if it’s all worth it, who hope that the bad guys won’t really win in the end: God wins.
How can parents help their kids through the readings?
The first day’s readings in John and Acts largely fill out a picture we’ve been drawing all along. You knew that there was a lot more to Jesus’ story, and John confirms that. You also know that John was with Peter when he was detained the first time, and Acts 4 tells us the outcome of that arrest.
Then come readings from Revelation. John introduces his vision in chapter 1, which begins with messages for the churches in Asia (chapters 2 and 3 – you can read them if you want!). Chapter 4 enters a different realm: An open door through which we peer into heaven. Swim into it with your kids, and talk about what you see.
We skip over the rest of the vision until the end: Chapters 21 and 22. This is after Satan has been defeated, and evil judged. It’s the new heaven and the new earth. “Behold, I am making all things new.” Hear this as a persecuted Christian would hear it: All things will be made new. Hear this as a grieving child would hear it: All things will be made new. Hear this as this might be received by the proud, by the rich, by the powerful, by the self-centered: All things will be made new. Hear this as this might be received by the humble, by the poor, by the powerless, by the downtrodden: All things will be made new.
Dive into this with your kids and their maturity will stand out among their generation.