Its Not About Getting Left Behind Part III

WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
May 13th 2007
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Revelation 21:1-10, 22-22:7
“Revelation; It’s Not about Getting Left Behind” Part III

Last week I was working my way through the channels trying to find a basketball game when one particular television preacher caught my attention. I do not remember the preachers name but his message has stayed with me. The focus of the sermon was on Revelation. What grabbed my attention was his focus on “Babylon.” For that preacher, Babylon, in Revelation, is modern-day Iran. He made it clear that the end times are upon us and we had better take action. What concerned me about his interpretation was his claim that God had chosen the United States to destroy the evil empire of the new Babylon.
While it needs to be said that this interpretation pushes the bounds of responsible scholarship, it is not enough for us to simply say no. In other words, we must seek to provide an alternative to the many interpretations of this book which have given rise to such works as the Left Behind series. Since this is our last week on the book of Revelation I believe that it is most important to suggest different ways of interpreting this often troubling book of scripture. Before we do that, however, I do want to say that despite my disagreements with many of the popular literature regarding this book, I do believe those who are teaching and publishing this material are doing so because they are seeking to be faithful. It is important to keep this in mind when we encounter those with whom we disagree. With that in mind, let me suggest that there is another way of interpreting this book which does not look hopefully to the destruction of all who will be left behind.
The beauty of the book of Revelation is that it allows for many interpretations. In fact, it really invites us to use our God given imaginations, and intelligence to see the world in new ways. However, our interpretations must always be grounded in the text of scripture, informed by the culture in which it was written, and the culture in which we live. Also, we must always be aware that our own beliefs, preconceived notions of the world and even our prejudices affect our interpretations of the word of God. We must keep this in mind so our interpretations are always seasoned with a good dose of humility. (Ultimately, most of the disagreements in the church center on the issue of interpretation and the lack of humility.)
My own approach to the book of Revelation has been greatly influenced by the work of Chilean Theologian Pablo Richard. I take from his work a view of the book of Revelation which does not see the book at a roadmap to the end times. Instead of looking to ‘figure out’ when the visions will take place he invites us to consider that the book is an interpretation of life right now. In other words, he invites his reader to consider that the visions in Revelation were not about the future but about how disciples might live faithfully now. After looking at the circular timeline in the book and taking into consideration the function of all apocalyptical literature, Richard says that the book of Revelation actually makes the claim that we are and will be living in the midst of apocalypse until Christ will come again. In other words, the ways of Babylon – the way of pain, suffering, and death are always at work around us if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear. While this may seem far fetched, consider the reality of our world. It is full of violence and death and claims of eternity. The book of Revelation seems to me to paint a picture of the way the world works right now. Given that is it all that hard to say we are indeed living in the midst of the apocalypse? It is an interpretation I find compelling.
Because the book of Revelation invites us to see the world in this way, it is easy make the mistake of identifying the beasts and Babylon’s with anyone who does not agree with us or is our ‘enemy.’ Fortunately, the book is not an invitation for us to label beasts, and Babylon. Instead, the book simply paints a picture of the world and invites people to live faithfully in the midst of difficult times. Which begs the question, how does one do this?
I believe the book of Revelation claims that faithful living is about waiting in hopeful expectation for the day when death will be no more. Our work as the faithful must begin with the end in mind. In other words, we look to the vision of the New Heaven, the new Earth and the New Jerusalem. On that day we learn that the pain and suffering of the world will come to an end. So, to begin with the end in mind means that our responsibility is to do what we are able to wipe away the tears from all who suffer, to seek to bring and end to the reasons for suffering, to bring healing where we are able, and to seek the end of all practices which exploit neighbor and our environment. It can seem like a tall order, but the important thing to remember is that we are called to act as if not to bring the day about. It is on this point that we must always remain focused. We cannot bring about the New World, we cannot bring the end of all suffering and death, but the good news is that we have the responsibility of doing what we are able.
I want to end by saying a few words about Babylon, since that is where I started. We know that some interpreters believe this must refer to a new nation, located somewhere between modern-day Iraq and Iran, will rise up and ‘fulfill the prophecy.’ However, the use of the term Babylon in Revelation was a way for the early followers to talk about Rome without being directly seditious. It is believed that the original hearers would have understood that Babylon meant Rome. Rome after all, was the City and the Empire that made bold claims about being the savior of the World, bringer of peace, and claimed that it had no end. And the Revelation of John makes it clear that Rome, like Babylon before it, would come to an end, and that God and the Lamb reign supreme, not the Emperor.
For the subsequent followers of the Lamb, Babylon, has taken on a life of its own. I believe this is an important feature of the book because it invites each generation who want to follow to have eyes to see and ears to hear the way Babylon exists in our own time. Our call is not to point out or try to figure out which country is Babylon. Instead, we are called to recognize that all people and all nations have the capacity to act as Babylon. Our call then is to remind ourselves and others that no one person or community or nation should claim to act for God. History has shown us that this way of thinking can lead us to make fatal mistakes with these claims.
As we come to the end of our study, it is my hope that you may find the book of Revelation as an important resource to faithful living. I also hope that you have come to see that this book has more than one interpretation. And, more than anything else, it is my prayer that God will grant us eyes to see and ears to hear, not only how Babylon is at work today, but also how we may be more faithful as followers of the Lamb. Amen.