We are about to take a little journey into some magnificent territory - via the last book in the Bible, the Book of Revelation.

It is not surprising that the Book of Revelation is hard to understand, with its visionary language, curious figures, and its cosmic catastrophes. It describes 'eschatology' - the endtime - about which the church has never made up its collective mind.

Consequently, as Barclay says, 'the Revelation has sometimes been abandoned as quite unintelligible, and it has sometimes become the playground of religious eccentrics, who use it to map out celestial timetables of what is to come...'

The artistry and aura of Revelation are sublime. J. B. Phillips says that he found the task of translating this book 'in the true sense of that threadbare word, thrilling... The translator is carried into another dimension - he has

but the slightest foot-hold in the timeand-space world with which he is familiar. He is carried, not into some never-never land of fancy, but into the Ever-ever land of God's eternal values and judgments.' Revelation comprises a 'theology of power'.

Lord, you are worthy to receive glory and honour and power. Amen.

THE FUTURE IS CHRIST'S

To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21.

The Apocalypse is a first century book, written out of the situation of the early Christians, and for these persecuted people. The Roman Empire was continuing its wicked way; oppression and wrong abounded; the cult of the emperor flourished, as did idolatry generally. The Christian minority found itself the object of suspicion, sometimes persecution. Some were killed for their faith.

So John's message is: the future belongs not to the Roman powers-thatbe, but to Christ. He is the ultimate Victor, and in him we are 'more than conquerors'. Despite appearances, he unerringly brings his purposes to pass in the affairs of human history.

Although John feels some pessimism concerning the present age, he sees much further: history is the scene of God's redemptive activity. John asserts that God's Messiah has come, and has suffered, but is now King of kings and Lord of lords.

Lord of my life, I crown you my sovereign, and pledge to you my allegiance. I will be faithful to you until death. Amen.

CAESAR IS NOT LORD

Whoever conquers, I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7.

The Revelation of John is very meaningful to Christians suffering for their faith. It was written to comfort and encourage the persecuted, not to satisfy prophetic bloodhounds, who believe it's their mission to fossick out references in the book to contemporary happenings.

John's Revelation is a book worth studying. Every generation needs the assurance that ultimately 'Caesar is not lord'. In various parts of the world today Christians are confronted with an absolute choice between Caesar or Christ, and it was to encourage people in like these that the Revelation was written.

John did not close his eyes to the terrors; he saw dreadful things and he saw still more dreadful things on the way; but beyond them he saw the bliss and the glory for those who defied Caesar for the love of Christ. The age of Domitian (AD 81 - 96) was one of the most heroic in the history of the Christian Church; and the Revelation is the clarion call to be faithful unto death in order to win the crown of life.

Followers of Jesus are being seriously persecuted, tortured or killed in fifty of the world's countries: let us not forget them.

If my turn should ever come, Lord, may I always be true to you. Amen.

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. Revelation 1:1.

Come with me, in your imagination, to a little rocky island, off the coast of Asia Minor. Patmos was like a living tomb, where people torn away from their families and homes were left to rot. It's Sunday morning, the waves are crashing against the rocky cliffs. In these cliffs there are caves, abandoned mines. The skies are greying, the sun has hardly risen. Chains clank as prisoners turn in their sleep. But one man - John - is awake, thinking about the churches he can't go to this Sunday morning...

The Greek word for 'revelation' is apokalupsis, a 'disclosing', `taking away the veil'. All revelation begins with God, the source of all truth. We don't create truth, we receive it, as a gift of God. Here there are five generations witnessing to this truth. God gave the Revelation to Jesus, who gave it to an angel, who gave it to John, who has given it to the world. God didn't write his truth in the clouds, but has honoured his people with the responsibility to convey it as witnesses. Note that these things must happen, `soon'. History is not haphazard, or cyclical. It is moving to a climax, God's climax.

So Lord Jesus, in these apocalyptic times, my focus is on you. My trust is in you. You are the Lord of history, and I am safe. Thank you. Amen.

GRACE AND PEACE TO YOU

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. Revelation 1:4.

John is Christ's servant (doulos, a slave). No one can rise higher than to be God's slave. He is also a witness. We get our English word `martyr' from this word - it means witnessing by putting your very life on the line.

John's letter is sent to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, the western half of modern Turkey. The number seven is significant: it's the number of `completeness' in apocalyptic writing. So these seven churches represent the whole church - including ours! John says we should all hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches (2:7,11 etc.)

John conveys 'grace' to them - a Greek greeting which in non-Christian contexts might simply mean `good luck' (`may the favour of the gods be upon you'). And `peace', the great Hebrew greeting which describes the harmony restored between God and his human creatures, ultimately through Christ.

This greeting is from the triune God: the God who 'always is', the God of the 1990s and the 2000s; the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ.

Lord Jesus Christ, I receive your grace and your peace this day and this night. Amen.

JESUS LOVES YOU - YES, YOU!

To him who loves us... to him be glory. Amen. Revelation 1:5,6.

John's great theme in Revelation is Jesus Christ. Essentially he says three things about him: * he's reliable - his witness is always true; * he's risen from the dead - he has first place in God's creation; * he reigns over all other rulers.

Now, says John, seeing you've received grace and peace there is something you can give to Christ glory and power. That's worship, the most unselfish thing any human being can do. In our prayers we're concerned primarily with our needs; in our thanksgivings with our blessings; in worship, with God himself, to the exclusion of all else. We come to worship, not to `get something out of it' but to give something to God.

It's not blessing ourselves - it's blessing God.

Why should we worship him? John's answer: because of what has been done for us in the past, what will happen in the future - and it's all centred on Jesus. What has he done for us? He loves you (present tense). His love `is older than creation, yet younger than this morning's dawn... a perpetual unwearied intercession for our souls which will still be pleading for us on the very day of judgment; to him who has your name written now across his heart, and will never in time or eternity let you go - to him who loves us, be glory' (James Stewart). You can't ever say `nobody loves me'.

And I receive your love, Lord. Amen.

PARDON FOR SIN

[Jesus Christ] freed us from our sins. Revelation 1:5.

Jesus has, freed, 'loosed' us. John could hear the clanking of chains as he wrote. He was imprisoned because of Jesus and yet can write of Jesus `breaking our chains'. There are worse chains than physical ones - our bad habits, the evil in our characters, the sins that bind us. Could you make a list of the things from which Jesus has set you free?

Jesus' love will never let us go; it will never let us down, but it also will never let us off. This `loosing' is his love in action. It's the divine surgery, cutting out of our lives all that destroys us, the festering sore in humanity - `the universal insanity' Seneca called it. Our sins cost Jesus his life.

'Search the Bible... Can you find anywhere the words, "I begged him for pardon, and he answered 'No, we must draw the line somewhere - forgiveness is not for you'" Can you find that anywhere?' asks James Stewart. Christ died for the defeated, for the beaten, for the hardened. He can break anyone's chains - to him be glory and dominion!

I confess my sins, Lord, and gratefully receive your pardon. Thank you. Amen.

JESUS IS COMING AGAIN!

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him... So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1:7.

Jesus has not only 'loosed' us from our sins. We're now royalty, sons and daughters of the King of kings. And priests - a kingdom of priests! Kings and priests were the most privileged people in Israel. They had direct access to God - and now that is our privilege, which should move anyone to praise God! A young man in Scotland sent a pre-paid telegram to his girl asking `Will you marry me?' She learned she had 27 free words to play with so she said `Certainly, absolutely, eagerly, willingly, lovingly, longingly' etc. `Amen' is all of those!

John's message in Revelation is that the God who has not failed us in the past (he is not `an untried God') will rescue his people again. For the Christian the return of Christ to this earth is a strengthening hope. For the enemies of God it is a threat of judgment. Divine glory and human grief will be combined.

Those who've rejected Jesus will see him. The soldiers who hammered nails through his wrists will see him. Pilate, who washed his hands of him will see him. Those who pierced him will see him...

He's coming back. The English would say 'Hear hear!' The Greeks 'Even so'! The Hebrews - 'Amen'!

Any day Lord, you will return. May I be ready and waiting for you. Amen.

IN THE SPIRIT ON THE LORD'S DAY

I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. Revelation 1:10.

Why is John so sure? Because he's sure of God. He is the first and the last, the alpha and omega, the A and the Z. Before anything else, there was God. After everything, there will be God.

He was, and is and is to come. God is always there, so we can be sure of the future. But God is not only permanent, he is powerful and almighty. Despite the disasters of our world, he is reigning. No one can stop him doing what he wants to do...

And now to John's vision of the reigning Christ. He was 'in the Spirit on the Lord's Day'. It's more than being `reverent' (you can be `in church' but not `in the spirit'!). John saw a vision he hadn't seen before; he heard voices.

It was a wonderful experience...

Note the humility in verse 9. He could have said 'Your father in God, suffering more than any of you...'

He heard a loud voice, like a trumpet. The trumpet is an instrument you can't ignore: it's an instrument of summons. There is coming a day - the noisiest day in the world's history - when the trumpet will sound, the archangel will cry out - a cry of command. What will be our response?

The world will end, Lord, not with a whimper, but with a bang! May I then receive you with joy and not despair (or disappointment). Amen.

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND

His eyes were a flame of fire... But he placed his right hand on me, saying, 'Do not be afraid.' Revelation 1:14, 16, 17.

What was Jesus like when he was here? We don't know. He was probably not like the bronzed Anglo-Saxon we find in children's Bible story books. In John's vision he was like a human being.

His robe stretched to his feet. (The last time the public saw him, he was stripped stark naked on a cross.) His hair was white as snow. (Ever seen a picture of Jesus with white hair?). His eyes were blazing. (No wonder at his trial they blind-folded him: they couldn't look into those eyes). His feet were like burnished metal feet that can 'trample out the vintage, where the grapes of wrath are stored...' His voice was like the crashing of the Patmos waves. His tongue was like a Roman short sword. His face was like the midday sun... John's only reaction is to fall at his feet like a man in a dead faint.

But Jesus is not only the King of Glory but also the King of Love. He reaches out to the frightened visionary, and touches him! When my little girls used to put their hand in mine as we crossed a busy road, they were not afraid. And in our fearful moments, the hand of Jesus, a healing and comforting hand, reaches out to reassure us. Just as a sick person is healed by the hands of the surgeon and the touch of a loved one, so we can experience the `touch of the Master's hand'.

As I reach out to you, Jesus my friend, my Master, please touch me with a touch of love and healing and reassurance. Thank you. Amen.