What a joy it has been to open the Book of Revelation to the faithful of Prince of Peace this summer. We have taken on quite an adventure. Rather than go to the favorite holy places for a placid vacation, we have challenged ourselves with a book of the Bible that has been cloaked with curtains that have been resistant to viewing. The Spirit has been pulling back the curtains and we’re discovering a witness to Jesus Christ that does speak to our pilgrimage of faith! Alleluia!
One of the things that we have come to realize is that the Book of Revelation often alludes to the Hebrew Scriptures. Those holy writings, which we often call the “Old Testament,” were the primary source, along with stories of Jesus and the apostles circulating in written or oral genres, for God’s people John was writing his letter to. Carol Swanson shared an interesting fact in a Bible study from the NRSV Annotated Bible: “of the 404 verses in Revelation, some 275 include one or more allusion to the passages of the Old Testament.” Thus many of the symbols were borrowed from the Old Testament by John to inspire and direct the faithful who read his witness to Jesus.
In Revelation 11 John discusses measuring the Temple. There are several Old Testament references to a similar account: Zechariah 2:1 “I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length…” Ezekiel 40.1-48.35 deals with a vision for a restored temple and land: “Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area. The length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits…” Ezekiel was a prophet when the people of Jerusalem battelled the Babylonians from 589-587 BCE. He knew of the sorrow of the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in the center of the city and the harsh treatment of the people by the invading armies who took the leaders into slavery. John of Patmos knew of the destruction of Herod’s Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. Is John of Patmos connecting with Ezekiel’s vision of a restored Temple to give people encouragement that God had not forsaken them but would restore their sacred place? In the culmination of the Book of Revelation we will hear about New Jerusalem in all of its splendor.
Reminding ourselves of the many connections of the Hebrew Scripture with the Book of Revelation provides and insight for our study and devotions. God’s Word continues to inspire us to faithfulness in our lives and challenges of our world today. God does keep promises!
Let us pray: Gracious God, you continue to show your people across all of history of your love and mercy. Help us to see that message in our lives today, in Jesus’ name! Amen!
Pr Walter