David Bahn - Reflections

Here we have a final word - a single ping, if you will - at the end of the whole book. "Amen." While some of the ancient Greek manuscripts omit the "Ἀμήν" (Amen), many modern translations include it. And it is found in other ancient Greek manuscripts. The word means truly. It's the exclamation point of all that John has seen through this revelation of Jesus Christ to him. "Yes, yes, it shall be so," as Martin Luther puts it. All of the foregoing truths, prophecies, pronouncements, praises, and proclamations are in fact most certainly true.

Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. These are the true words of God. You don't want to miss this party! Neither do I.

In Revelation 19 we have a picture of the end of all deceivers, persecutors, tormentors, and tempters. They suffer utter doom. They are completely vanquished. And the hosts of heaven rejoice in their demise. They realize how destructive those are who attack followers of Jesus. They realize how much Christians have suffered for the faith. And now that it is ended, they rejoice in God's vindication. All the pain, tears, troubles, and disappointments have actually happened. There is no guarantee of a painless life for Jesus' followers. In fact, the opposite is true: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you," Jesus says (John 15:20).

But all persecution - as real, horrific, distressing, and terrible as it may be - will come to an end. The world, the devil, and our flesh may attack. But God's people will be saved. And we will join all the redeemed in praising the One who has saved us. Hallelujah!

Revelation 18 is a rehearsal of the fall of Babylon, symbolizing the complete demise of Satan's kingdom and powers. It reads almost like one is gloating at Babylon's downfall. And make no mistake, its downfall is horrific and cataclysmic. Complete and undeniable. Total and irrefutable. One after another judgment is pronounced in poetic form. It is a scathing judgment against all the powers, forces, conspirators, antagonists, and people who do not repent. They are utterly doomed. It is sad, and a difficult chapter for me to read.

Then come the hymns of praise to God in this chapter. Hallelujah! Again and again rings out the refrain, "Hallelujah!" Five times in these few verses goes up the shout, "Hallelujah!" And to make certain we get it, in verse 5 we have, "Praise our God!" There's just a whole lot of praising going on. Paeans of praise  have replaced laments of Judgment. Joy, delight, gladness, thanksgiving, honor, and glory have replaced gloom, despair, judgment, and damnation.

God's judgments are just. And as we reflect on his holiness and purity, his justice and righteousness, it is good to realize that there will be a day of judgment. That day will be catychlismically horriffic. But we take comfort in the end in two things: Jesus has satisfied God's justice for all who believe. And God's greater delight is to forgive and save. Save us, O God! Have mercy and save us! Amen.

This hymn of Revelation 16 makes the point that God's judgements are completely just. That's the point of the second of these two hymns of praise. “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” Amen.

But let us never forget that the judgment of God was unleashed 2000 years ago...on his Son. Jesus bore the sin of the world. And no one need endure the kinds of eternal doom that is described here. God's will, in fact, is quite the opposite. His will is that all would repent and believe.

Our yearning for justice and vindication may not be as urgent, it is certainly well-founded when we desire God's ultimate rule and reign in our lives. When he reigns we are able to rise above the tumult of this fallen world. When he rules we are able to find joy even in our sufferings. When his justice and righteousness prevails, schisms, divisions, and scandals are healed.

All that happens when we embrace God's justice, truth, holiness and righteousness by faith. We look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, redeemed us, forgave us, and justified us before God. For his sake we are declared righteous, just, holy, and pure. Whenever we express that in our interactions with others, we reflect the true nature of God, and give evidence of the grace and truth of his ways.

The days leading up to the Great Last Day will be tumultuous. Many will faint for fear. And those apart from God will not have smooth sailing by any means. But the redeemed of God recognize their need for a Savior, and realize that Savior is Jesus Christ who has come to redeem us. We will find perfect peace in him. I look forward to that day. I think it's getting close.

There are times when the apparent winning ways of the world overwhelm. There are times when we are amazed at man's accomplishments. There are times when we celebrate great human accomplishments as though they are the ultimate expressions of power and glory. There are times when we laud the athlete, idolize the celebrity, or put our hopes on a political leader. None of these are truly great and amazing. That's God's realm. His praise will go on for all time, and so will our rightful and proper amazement at his stunning grace and glorious majesty.

Our Lutheran founding father spoke of the wrath of God as a great reality about which they had not merely read in books, but the withering blasts of which they had felt in their own hearts. Likewise the grace of God was to them not a mere titulus, but a boon which had come to them like the dawn of a bright morning after a night of harrowing gloom and destructive storms. God's wrath will one day end. 

While we wait, God shows his wrath by taking his hands off those who do not believe. And in their unbelief they go farther and farther down the road to perdition (cf. Romans 1:18-32). But God's hands-off approach is not entirely wrathful. For he is also waiting patiently so that some will repent and not perish (2 Peter 3:9). This is his greatest desire. This is his will: our eternal salvation and perfect joy. And until the end of all time there is hope. But that time will one day come to an end. His wrath will end. And his own will enjoy heavenly bliss forever.