Message from Tim


The Apocalypse


‘See you after the apocalypse!’ says a sign outside one of the bars in town. I’ve been reading Revelation this past week or so – a disturbing book for disturbing times. Thankfully, I’ve not found anything in its description of tribulations to come that looks like the coronavirus. Actually, I’m not sure it is even appropriate to try and look; over the centuries many people have pored over Revelation, looking to see how the events of their day have been predicted in John’s prophecy, but I don’t think that’s the best way to approach the book. I am one of those biblical interpreters who believes that the key to reading Revelation aright is to suppose that John expected the readers of his day to be able to make sense of the highly evocative symbolism in his writings. His prophecy was addressed primarily to them, and not to us, and we need to bear that in mind when we try to understand it.

‘Apocalypse’ actually means ‘Revelation’; the two words are derived from Greek and Latin respectively. And originally what was revealed through ‘apocalyptic’ writings like Daniel and Revelation was not a gruesome catalogue of future catastrophes, but rather the purpose of the visions or dreams was to open heaven so that people could see how, above and beyond the chaos engulfing the world, God was on his throne, directing everything in accordance with his sovereign will towards its divinely ordained, unalterable conclusion. In other words, an apocalypse was not like a crystal ball, used for predicting the future, but more like a periscope, enabling people to look up from the depths of their trials to catch a glimpse of what was really going on upstairs, in the command centre of the universe. The basic message is that, however bad things get (and they will go from bad to worse) the final outcome is assured because God is in charge.

Much of Revelation is the stuff of nightmares and it is not for the faint-hearted, so if you don’t feel up to wading through its 22 chapters, let me condense its basic message for you:

1. Look up! God is in control.

2. Brace yourselves! It’s going to be a rough ride.

3. Hold on! Those who endure to the end are saved.

4. Don’t give up! It will be worth it ‘after the apocalypse’.