Stroll through Scripture for August 3, 2025

Based on Revelation 4:1-11

The Narrative Lectionary moves us from the introduction of the book and the greetings to the various churches (Ch. 1-3), to the first vision that John has.  It is the vision of the heavenly court and throne.  

A valid question is “why start with this?”  

Go back to what I wrote about last week – Revelation isn’t about fear, but rather how God wins and that is good news.  This is especially good news to the people who would receive this letter.  Those people are under the oppression and occupation of the Roman Empire.  And Rome, like every empire before and after is all about looking like it is divine, unstoppable, inevitable, and powerful.  Image is everything after all, even to people some 2000 years ago.  

So, John gives us an image of a courtroom and throne room.   John is essentially setting the stage to have Rome put on trial.  Remember how back in Chapter 1 John said that Jesus was the “ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5)?  Then even mighty Rome is subject to God’s judgement.  Rome isn’t special and is not divinely ordained.  Rome is an empire created by humans and it will come to an end.  This is a key theme of John’s pastoral message to those who receive it.  The empire will end and all the cruelty and violence that goes with it.  

Turning back to Chapter 4, we get a variety of characters showing up.  Each one symbolizing something important in contrast with what the empire has to offer.  

The 24 elders represent the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles.  The seven spirits of God represent the Holy Spirit in fullness.  The sea of glass is a show of calmness.  The four living creatures represent various virtues and creation.  The multitude of eyes represent awareness and knowledge.  And of course worship is directed towards God, in contrast with the Emperor Domitian, who used the title, “Our Lord and God.”  

Rome is on trial for its many sins, blasphemies, use of violence and cruelty, and more.  We’ll hear more about the proceedings as the book progresses.  

Questions for reflection:

• If we were to put empire on trial today, what imagery would we use?  How would we contrast God’s reign with empire in a modern context?  
• What are the “empires” of 2025?  Go beyond just an official national entity.  Empires are things that conquer, compel compliance, destroy what they touch, oppress, take resources, and exist by might makes right, the strong survive, and the ends justify the means.  What are the empires of our world?