Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book? (of Revelation, that is)

The one book of the bible that believers and non believers are united around is the book of Revelation: We all agree it's in line with the film Paranormal Activity for its ability to scare us out of our wits. So what happens? Agnostics read it and tremble while many Christians either obsess over the scary stuff or refuse to read it at all!

Is it really logical that the very last written record of Jesus' prophetic revelation to His disciples was not meant for the average believer to read, let alone understand? Should that book, perhaps, be translated into Latin so only the learned can approach it?

I think it's all in the focus. Many, many church pastors avoid teaching the book and I haven't always had a grand reception when I've proposed teaching it either.

The first thing I always tell people is that it is the "Revelation of Jesus Christ" given to John not the "Revelation of the Anti-Christ". Sure- Mr. '666' gets a major play as does the devil, persecution of the saints, false religion and an evil system of world domination and God's final judgment against wickedness (not against His children). These are real events that will affect real people in real time. Believers are not to live unaware.

But lost on many of us - and to me until I started to read it from the lens of a worshiper - is the beauty, glory and victory of the One for whom this revelation is named. Only in the book of Daniel (7:9-10) is another such a striking portrayal of the Beautiful God given. The book of Revelation completes this description beginning in chapter 1 vs. 13-16  as Jesus then tells John not to be afraid. The book goes on to give us descriptions of Jesus by the elders, the angels, the believers in heaven and by Jesus, Himself. Chapter 4 contains the bible's most graphic depiction of  the heavenly scene in the throne room of God  and chapters 21 and 22 enticingly illustrate our final destination: a new Heaven and a new Earth redeemed from the curse of sin and death. There are also 14 songs of worship, three of them in chapter 5 alone.

So let's revisit this most infamous book with its frightful reputation. Let's ask God for new lenses to view it from. Then let's ask ourselves: Might there be hidden glory that our fears have obscured?

I'd love to hear your feedback!

[Next - Who's Afraid - Part 2: Comfort for the oppressed]