Life Notes:
“All Things New.” Rev. 7:17
John, in exile on the island of Patmos, was in the “Spirit” worshiping his Lord. As the bishop at Ephesus for decades, he had seen the followers of Jesus grow in number and change the world even as they were persecuted and hated.
Now John, the only disciple remaining alive, was alone in the presence of God having reached what must have seen to him the end of his life. Perhaps he remembered Jesus’s words to Peter, “When Peter saw him (John), he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him,“If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’” John 21: 21-23
But now, Christ himself speak to John. The end is coming but not at that moment. Christ, now glorified in His heavenly body, tells John and us of the new heaven and the new earth without sin, pain and death. “The time is near.” We wait for His words, “Welcome, thou good and faithful servant.”
Question of the week: What is apocalyptic literature and why is it important to recognize it as such when understanding its meaning?
Answer: Apocalyptic Biblical literature such as Daniel and Revelation is a kind of literature in which divine secrets are revealed, usually through an angel using symbolic images and language. Care must be taken not to interpret them too literally
