Tag: Eschatology

This is the another installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Baptist churches write: These are the words of the one who has the seven flaming doves and the seven stars:

I know what you’re doing. You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what’s left and is at death’s door, because I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember everything you’ve been given, and everything you’ve learned. Obey it and repent! If you don’t wake up, I will come like a thief and you won’t know when I’ll strike. There are a few of you Baptists who haven’t gotten caught up in all the mud-slinging and are still clean. They’re going to walk with me, dressed in white graduation robes, because they’re worthy. If the rest of you conquer, you will also be dressed in white graduation robes, and I won’t erase your names form the book of life. In fact, quite the opposite, I’ll read it loud and proud in front of my Father and all the angels. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

This is the next installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  You can catch the first piece here.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Mainline Protestant churches write: These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes that burn with intelligence and tough, sturdy steel-toed work boots on his feet:

I know what you’ve done – your love, faith, service and patience. I know that you’re doing things now that are greater than anything you’ve ever done. But I have this against you: you tolerate the likes of Ahab and Jezebel, who call themselves prophets and teachers and who are duping my servants to welcome and even celebrate fornication. I’ve given them time to repent, but they refuse to repent of their perversion. Watch out: I’m going to throw them onto a bed, and anyone who commits adultery with them I’m going to throw on the bed of suffering too (unless they repent!). I’m going to kill the children of her adultery. And all the churches will know that I am the one who explores your minds and hearts, and I’ll give each person and church what your works deserve. But to the rest of you Mainline Protestants who don’t hold to these teachings, who haven’t learned what some call ‘the open mind’ of Satan, I’m not going to burden you with anything else. Just hold on to the faith and works you have until I come. To everyone who conquers and continues to do my works until the end, I will offer the invitation,

“Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet,”

since it is my Father’s party. To the one who conquers I will also give the whitest wedding dress ever. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

This is another installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  These short pieces  (this 3 of 7) draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

To the angel of the Black churches write: These are the words of the one who has the platinum gavel:

I know your struggles, what you face every day, right in the heart of where Satan seems to be working the most, your struggles that don’t have an end in sight. Even still, you’re holding tightly to my name, and you didn’t turn your back on your faith in me even in the days of Martin Luther King, Jr., my faithful witness who was killed among you – clearly Satan’s work. But here’s my problem: some of you are listening who Achan, whose lust for wealth brought destruction on all of God’s people. And others among you have embraced the Universalists’ teachings. So repent! If you don’t, I will come soon, and when I do, I’ll crush you with the gavel of my mouth. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers, I’ll show the hidden doors to my treasury vault, and I’ll give you a megaphone that has a battery that will never run out and that no one can find.

This is the next installment of my reimagining of the Revelation to John.  These short pieces draw from Revelation 2-3, and I’ll post once for each of the 7 churches.  These installments really helped me to see how provocative John’s letter would’ve been in its original context.  I’d love to know what you think.

And to the angel of the Arab churches write: These are the words of the first and last, who was dead and came to life, the ultimate immigrant:

I know your suffering, poverty and rejection (even though you’re actually rich). I hear the slander coming from those who say they are God’s chosen nation and are not – they’re actually a Satan’s nation. Don’t be afraid of what you’re about to suffer. Get ready: the devil is about to put you through the wringer – he’s testing you, and it’s not going to be pretty. Or short. Stay strong. Stay faithful even if it means death and I’ll give you the gold medal in Life. Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Whoever conquers won’t be caught in the second death.