Revelation 1:17-2:7
“As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands…” (Revelation 1:20-2:1)
Because of the wild imagery and a certain reputation, the Book of Revelation receives either scant attention or too much attention – both of which are sins of reading scripture. We do well to find a faithful way, then, with which to approach this book and the insights for our own Christian discipleship that are contained therein.
To begin, as the little blurb above makes clear, Revelation is not a prophetic book like Daniel or Jeremiah or Ezekiel. Again, because of the wild imagery (some of which is borrowed from both Ezekiel and Daniel), it’s easy to get confused on this fact. Revelation is, instead, a letter – just like Paul’s letters. What marks it as different is that it is a letter to the seven main churches around at the time this letter was composed. In this regard, it is unique in the New Testament, for every other letter we have is to a particular people at a particular time and addresses issues particular to them. Revelation, on the other hand, opens with some direct address (that’s most of the first three chapters), but quickly pivots to a good word for ALL the churches to which it is addressed. In this way, then, Revelation ping-pongs between the particular and the universal.
In terms of reading this letter, we do well to seek out particular or specific guidance for our own life together as a church, as well as to understand the best we can the broad, universal message contained within it. The general/universal message is one that is pertinent to our season of Advent, as it focuses on the Second Advent (or Second Coming) of Christ and reveals the nature of the Kingdom of God (especially in the last two chapters). We could fall deep down that rabbit hole, but such an investigation is likely better left to a Sunday School class (anyone game for that? Call me!) rather than a midweek devotional.
And so, let’s attend to the particular, which occurs in Revelation 2:2-7 in today’s readings. In this instance we find John the Revelator addressing the church in Ephesus (yes, the same church to which Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is directed). Not surprisingly, the church in Ephesus is very much like the church in Marysville. There are clearly some strengths, but also some weaknesses. What might surprise us, especially because it sounds far from gracious, is the threat leveled against the church in Ephesus. We are told that if they do not rekindle their first love for God that it’s lampstand will be removed from its place. This, of course, is a metaphorical way of saying that the church will cease to exist.
When we attend to the particular, we find that God demands excellence all the way through. It is not sufficient to be good at some things and poor at others. We must be striving to be good at all things, learning to build off our strengths and to quickly and routinely repent of our weaknesses. Naturally, God is not just sitting idly by, seeing if we’re strong enough to pull ourselves up with our own bootstraps, but He is awaiting our trying to give a little tug at them before intervening and raising us up.
And so, as we continue our pilgrimage through Advent, this is a good time to seek the ways that we’ve grown complacent in our faith. It is a good time to reflect on which valleys we haven’t cared to raise up and which mountains we ignore, rather than lower. It’s a good time to see where, for example, Mary’s Magnificat is talking about us – not as the poor who are being empowered, but as the powerful who have grown calloused. Advent can and should be a season of repentance as we expectantly await the coming of our King. Amen.
