In times of tragedy, like 9/11,
people gather to pray, to hear God’s word, and to seek comfort in God’s
presence. The need for such gatherings tragically arose once again last
Monday, as an armed student went about on the campus of Virginia Tech on a
twisted mission to kill. Expressionless, we are told, Seung-Hui Cho aimed
his weapons and gunned down innocent victims without mercy. On that same
evening, the university community gathered for a convocation. Present were
clergy from a number of faith groups; those who, in some sense, represented
the presence of God to the grieving community; those who, in some sense,
were the spokespersons for God. What does one say for or about God under
such circumstances? Who knows the mind of God? Who is it that can disclose
the secrets of God?
That question and the answer to
it are found in chapter five of the book of Revelation. The book of
Revelation may seem a strange book to find some answers related to the
tragic events that surround us. And yet, a careful look at our text for
today in its context will disclose the fundamental answers we are looking
for when senseless killings are spread upon the front pages of our
newspapers. This wonderful, if mysterious, book powerfully declares to the
church and to the world who it is who knows the mind of God.
We know the book of Revelation
was written by a man who calls himself “John.” He writes that he “was on
the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of
Jesus.” Probably John had been accused of being a Christian by someone who
decided to turn him in to the authorities, and his punishment appears to be
his banishment on Patmos. “John introduces his first vision,” Bruce Metzger
writes, “by telling his readers that he was on the island of Patmos because
he had proclaimed God’s message and the truth that Jesus revealed.” “Patmos,”
Dr. Metzger tells us, “is a rocky, mountainous island, about ten miles long
and six miles wide, some thirty miles west of Asia Minor in the Aegean Sea.
The Romans used it as a place of political banishment.”
“The book of Revelation,” Dr.
Metzger writes, “was composed and sent to seven churches in the Roman
province of Asia at some point between A.D. 69 and 96.” Dr. Metzger
believes the book “reflects the conditions prevailing during the . . . years
of the Emperor Domitian,” a time when Christians were being persecuted for
their faith. Domitian tried to compel Christians to engage in Caesar
worship, demanding them to address him as “our lord and god.” Those who
refused were persecuted. John’s book is, when taken as a whole, a strong
word of encouragement for people to keep faith under fire, an assurance that
they would be victorious if they remained steadfast to Jesus Christ.
In chapter four, the scene is
heaven. That is also the location of the action in chapter five. The one
who is seated on the throne—a reference to God—is holding a scroll. One of
the angels present asks, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its
seals?” The scroll represents the eternal decrees of God. Who knows the
mind of God? Who has the key to unlock the will of God and disclose that to
people who are being persecuted? Who is it that can disclose the will of
God to the Virginia Tech community?
John experiences great sadness
and he begins to weep bitterly because no one is found worthy to open the
scroll and unlock the mysteries of God. Then, suddenly, one of the elders
present, says to John, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,
the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll.”
Now you’re talking! A mighty
Lion! Now here is an image of terrifying power! It looks like the answer
to events like 9/11 and the Virginia Tech slayings, where innocent victims
are slaughtered, is to return force with force. To prevent more innocent
people from being killed, what we need is a mighty Lion to return violence
with violence. Good thing we get to see a mighty Lion appear before the
throne of God. That’s an image we can march behind as we prepare to take on
those who would harm the innocent! So we think.
But wait! John turns to look
for the Lion, but he sees instead a Lamb, “a Lamb standing as if it had been
slaughtered.” You will remember that Passover lambs were slaughtered and
the blood was used to protect the firstborn of Israel when they were slaves
in Egypt. You will remember that the Gospel of John refers to Jesus Christ
as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus embodied
the role of the Suffering Servant found in Isaiah 53. You remember the
words: “. . . he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our
iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his
bruises we are healed.” The image of a Lamb “standing as if it had been
slaughtered” is one of weakness, on the face of it. That Lamb is an
innocent victim. John of Patmos hears that he’s going to see a mighty Lion,
but instead he sees a Lamb.
Jesus Christ himself was an
innocent victim. Those in power sought to eliminate him from the scene, for
they saw him as dangerous. What was it that Caiaphas the high priest had
uttered? “. . . it is better for you to have one man die for the people
than to have the whole nation destroyed.” The powerful saw to it. They had
Jesus pinned to a cross. They had the power to do it. They were able to
pull it off. Both the civil and religious authorities declared Jesus to be
wrong, so wrong that he must die for the sake of the community. And they
had him killed. Jesus was an innocent victim. And God raised him up on the
third day to vindicate him. And so, in this heavenly scene, this Lamb, once
slaughtered, now stands victorious before the throne of God.
Now see: This once-slaughtered
Lamb alone is worthy to open the seals of the scroll. In other words, only
Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is worthy to disclose the mind of God.
Indeed, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are themselves the keys
to unlocking the mysteries of God, for it is in those events that the will
of God becomes clear to humanity. In the heavenly scene, the Lamb goes and
takes the scroll from the right hand of God. That is reminiscent of the
sabbath day when Jesus went to the synagogue in Nazareth, that day when he
took the scroll, read from the book of Isaiah, and then disclosed the
meaning of the word of God. The Lamb taking the scroll from the right hand
of God calls to mind the affirmation made by the Gospel of John: “No one
has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s
heart, who has made him known.” The Lamb that was slaughtered is the only
one worthy to take the scroll and disclose the mind of God to humanity.
No wonder worship breaks out in
heaven. Good thing for us, for by witnessing worship in heaven, we get both
a theology of worship and theology in worship. We learn that worship is
about expressing the worthiness of the one being worshiped. God is worthy
of our adoration and praise because God is God, and because God has made us
and all that is. God is worthy of our worship because God has expressed his
great love for us in sending his Son to live and die and rise that we may be
forgiven of our sin and reconciled to God. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God,
is worthy of our worship because he alone is the one who discloses the will
God. Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God. Jesus Christ is the one who
has died and risen to reconcile us to God, revealing God’s saving will.
When we sing praises to God and to Jesus Christ, we are expressing their
worthiness to be praised.
In worship, we often hear the theological
reasons for worshiping God and Christ. So, in worship, we not only express
God and Jesus Christ’s worthiness to be worshiped but we also hear why such
worship is appropriate. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered,” sings
the heavenly multitude in John’s vision, “Worthy is the Lamb that was
slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and
glory and blessing!” This acclamation of worth ascribes to the Lamb both
all the possessions needed to rule and the recognition of his position.
This expression of praise is pure affirmation of faith.
God’s own saving activity is made known in
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who alone is able to disclose
God’s intentions for humanity by going to the cross. And so the heavenly
chorus in John’s vision is joined by all creatures everywhere who sing, “To
the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory
and might forever and ever!” Again, this outpouring of praise offers to God
and to Jesus Christ all the glory and praise and worship that is due them.
This heavenly scene closes with the posture
of worship: the elders fall down. The four living creatures present in
this scene provide a fitting close to the worship in heaven with their
resounding “Amen!” If you are familiar with Handel’s Messiah, this
scene may bring to your mind the closing “Amen,” that builds and builds,
lasting several minutes. Or, maybe you remember worship services that
closed with a sevenfold amen, with the word “amen” repeated over and over by
all of the sections of the choir. Don’t you just want to hear all this
glorious music in person!
