The Book of Revelation has long been the subject of controversy among students of the Bible. A book of symbols, it is variously interpreted, a fertile field for disputes between exponents of interpretations labelled "praeterist", "futurist" or "historical". Some mystified by the strange events which John records, have given up the task of understanding them. Others have applied themselves diligently to discovering some event in history, however insignificant, which will correspond to each detail of the narrative. It is not an easy book, but it is an intriguing one. A Bible class that embarks upon its study will toil through it long and painfully. The leader of such a study may feel he needs a complete knowledge not only of Old Testament prophecy but also of two thousand years of secular and church history; and together with this, a sense of proportion and an appreciation of spiritual values.

Yet, the fact remains that the book is intended as a revelation. One scholar puts it, "The writer obviously expects that his meaning, so far from being obscured by the strange figures of speech and symbols which he employs, will be thereby illustrated, enforced, and brought home to the mind with greater than ordinary power." It would be hard to believe that this revelation, given by Jesus Christ, was intended only for scholars.

The book is a prophecy of things which, when it was written, were yet future. Those who first read it must have been as perplexed as those today who come to it lacking a knowledge of history ‑ if indeed it be that many of the prophecies of the book have been fulfilled. To the first readers the book must have seemed a vast drama, with heaven and earth for a stage, in which move the kings of the earth, the angels of heaven, the powers of darkness and the messengers of light. As the apostle John unfolds his vision they recognise themselves, persecuted and oppressed, as the souls under the altar or the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem. They are spectators of the great drama of history, played before the King of Kings, in which the hero, the slain Lamb, becomes the Victor. As the dark symbols follow one another they rejoice to find that God is to be vindicated in his dealings with men: and the voices which speak to them in strains as of poetry tell plainly the foundation truths of the Gospel.

The modern reader, poring over various translations notices passages which Weymouth, Moffatt and the RSV have rendered in verse. It is interesting to look at them. Often it is the four and twenty elders of the throne scene whose words the translators put in verse. These elders speak to praise God. Their continual song, night and day, is to ascribe to God glory and honour and power. Why? Because He is the Creator of all things, and because it is by His will that the universe has come into existence. We may well echo these praises, for it is God the ever living One who through the ages has fashioned the world in which we live according to laws which only now are scientists beginning to understand. As Paul said upon Mars Hill, it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. It is fitting that the Gospel should commence with the fact that our God is Creator of heaven and earth; and right that we in our praises should give thanks on this account.

In chapter five the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sing a new song. The ages have rolled on. The world has long been established, and now the race of beings that inhabits it has been redeemed by Jesus. But what is to follow? The prayers of Christians come before the God of heaven.

The elders rejoice, for that same Jesus is found worthy to open the book of the future, to control the destinies of this world. He has ransomed men from every tribe and nation, a body who will reign over the earth as priests. Thus a second great fact emerges: that the Gospel Age is a time in which Christ's ransom sacrifice is applied to a company, for whom God has a special work.

If we are among those who thus have been redeemed, we can join with their song.

"Worthy the Lamb that died, they cry, To be exalted thus!

 Worthy the Lamb! our hearts reply, For He was slain for us."

It is not till chapter seven that we find the elders once more burst forth in praise. The sight that inspires them is a numberless host of men, justified and victorious, from every nation. Their great tribulation is past: they are to suffer no more, but under God's protection are to serve him. Irrespective of any question what "class" this multitude represents, is it not a comfort to know that the future is to hold life, with the privilege of his service and protection, to any one who is under "the robe of Christ's righteousness".

The theme of the elders is more awesome in chapter eleven. If the mercy of God is to be praised, so also is His judgment. It has been the lot of Christians in the Gospel Age to live in a time of darkness, when the light of the Gospel has only partly illumined the world. There is light enough to see by for those whose eyes are open to the message of salvation; but for the rest of mankind the world is dim, full of half truths, with any course of action a choice between two evils. Men dimly perceive what is good, but lack the courage to endure that measure of suffering which right action entails. While there are men upon earth to take selfish advantage, Christian meekness will bear this reward of suffering. So the nations are not meek but angry: and God's wrath comes upon them. Wrath upon the spirit of self, wrath upon those who destroy, wrath upon all those things which work, not creatively in the spirit of the Creator, but to disrupt, antagonise and embitter. Just as the dentist drills away the rotten part of a tooth in order to preserve the good remainder, so all that is antagonistic to the very life of God's kingdom must be removed. Christ's rule will be one of mercy and equity; but what He sees fit eventually to destroy must indeed be worthy of destruction. God's judgment is a cause for rejoicing, for we long to see vindicated that spirit of love which now shows so little in outward results. We long for God to reveal himself in power and righteousness, to show his majesty, to embrace mankind in his love, to make it once and for all evident that the scorned and rejected gospel of Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Truth. As the twenty-four elders say, when they fall down and worship God, "We give thanks to thee, Lord God almighty, who art and who wast, that thou hast taken thy great power and begun to reign".

If we are conquerors, we too may sing "Great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God the almighty! Just and true are thy ways, O King of the ages! Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and worship thee, For thy judgments have been revealed."

The chapters which follow are full of the judgments of God. False religion, the lust for worldly power, infatuation with the good things of this life, hypocrisy under the garb of godliness, all these things come under sentence together with the Dragon ‑ the Adversary ‑ that inspires them. All is summed up in Babylon, that city into which is drawn all the wealth and pride of life. In it there is gaiety, finery, all those external things that delight the senses but without godliness are a delusion. Babylon is the epitome of the kingdoms of this world: its inhabitants live for self; they have a worldly allegiance. Their conduct stands condemned, for it results in the bloodshed of innocent men, of men made holy by their relationship with God.

It is small wonder that Babylon's fall is heralded in the language of poetry. It is small wonder that the adjuration is "Come out of her, my people". We must beware of the spirit of Babylon, whatever our surroundings and with whoever we meet. Only by a personal guard over our lips and our ways, by a perpetual watchfulness in prayer, shall we ensure that we are free of the trammels of the world. Let us beware lest our conduct betray our heavenly city or dishonour our heavenly King. It is so easy to peddle between two masters.

After the judgment of Babylon goes up the cry of the hosts in heaven, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just". The earth is rid of an evil thing, and by contrast we see the Bride of the Lamb, made ready to be joined to her Lord. From the vision of the faithless we turn to the faithful: our Lord comes into his own, and his chosen ones with him. Babylon is doomed: the new Jerusalem rises in its stead.

As the book draws to a close, there comes a voice from the throne itself:

"God's dwelling place is among men

And He will dwell among them

And they shall be his people.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Death shall be no more;

Nor sorrow, nor wail of woe, nor pain;

For the first things have passed away."

This is the consummation of God's purpose, a new order which follows the time of tempest and judgment. The waters of life flow there, and the nations, purged of sin, bring their glories to God's feet. The broad picture is clear. God's purpose looks beyond the suffering of the present hour, and God's ultimate design removes pain and death from human kind. The heart thrills as his designs are made manifest. Just as Christians of the First Century longed for their final accomplishment, so do we. If, after nineteen hundred years of history, we can identify our position in time among the symbols of the book, well and good. But even if our minds are not capable of grasping the details, we may rejoice in the one great hope, join with the four and twenty elders around the throne as they cry,

"Worthy art thou, O Lord God!
 Worthy is the Lamb!"

GC