After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a
face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside. They never rest day or night, saying:
“Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful,
Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”
And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying:
“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
since you created all things,
and because of your will they existed and were created!”
Reflection
This weird, wonderful and wild book of Revelation gives us image after image that is difficult to process sterilely. Even the most imaginative art work usually comes up short from the specific otherness of the Sacred text. This wonderfully spiritual work is a tremendous vision or set of visions. Many people have tried to take the numbers, characters, and descriptions through a subjective detective work or reverse allegory into a meaning for today. Let's be real, though, how often have you had a dream or a vision and it is really hard to both describe or receive in full! The detail, the vividness and the mysterious contrasts all mean something. It is all relative to what it means for you, your family, and for us as a people in this point in time. Yet, this Revelation is timeless and written in a time.
When I read this Word for today, the first thought that came to me was a question--why doesn't Christianity celebrate more of its rich, strange and wildness? Even the most charismatic worship service that I have ever seen or been a part of, pales to this small set of verses. Yes, Revelation makes up a lot of the liturgy. What I mean, rather, is that even "non-liturgical" worship has a rhythm and a pattern. And, what we do is once a week for about an hour. I thought, we are not ready. 24/7 worship of this level of richness is so far beyond where even the the most authentic church is at!
Lord, enliven us from our boring and static patterns. We who are witnesses of your amazing Resurrection from the dead, show us the vibrant Way of giving you glory, honor, and praise in all ways and in all days. Amen!
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