Really Tough Times
Many people read John's book of Revelation incorrectly.They think the book is about the End Time (without an "s") in the sense of a very specific period in history just before the Second Coming of Jesus and the Final Judgement. For them, this time is somewhere in the future and numerous attempts have been made to predict when this time will be. (You may remember how some incorrectly guessed 2000 or 2012.)
However, when Jesus spoke about the End Times (note the "s"), He described it like a woman in labour. Labour is a cycle of contractions and rest, contraction and rest, contraction and rest... In this view, the End Times (labour) began when Jesus ascended into heaven and will end when He returns. During this period we will see times of contraction and times of rest for the Church.
The problem with the first point of view is that the book of Revelation is technically irrelevant for now and for the John's first readers, because it will only be applicable in that very specific period of history! Imagine John saying: "Hey everyone, here's a book I wrote, but it's only going to be relevant in some 2000+ years!"
The incredible beauty of the second point of view is that Revelation is true and appropriate anytime the Church anywhere experiences a contraction. Revelation was a comfort to the Early Church where Christians where put in front of lions in Rome and run through with the sword in Asia Minor. It was also a comfort to the Protestants being persecuted in Europe in the 1600s and it was a comfort to the true church in Nazi Germany, the church behind the Iron Curtain and now the church in Muslim totalitarian states in Africa today.
Our reading comes from one of the seven "Letters to the Churches" in Revelation 2 & 3. These were actual churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and they were experiencing real persecution. Jesus comforts them and He still comforts those who face persecution today.
This lovely passage makes a few important points:
- We should not be intimidated by hardship, it is part of the labour
- The church's enemy is the devil and his goal is to break the church
- Persecution and suffering will be limited (here symbolised by "ten days".) God is still in control
- We need to be faithful - not successful - but faithful
- Death should never bully us - God gives us eternal life
- And Eternal Life doesn't start when we die, Eternal Life is knowing Christ, and this is our Victor's Crown!
| Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor's crown. (Revelation2:10) |
