“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. Revelations 1:18-19
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen Revelations 1:5-6
I have linked these two verses together, because they mark frail humanity with divine assignment. When man is face to face with the majesty of God he is afraid, undone and useless, but divine encounters are always connected to divine assignment. These assignments are kingdom establishing and intercessory in nature, I am referencing the words “he made us to be a kingdom and priest”. The kingdom we are establishing does not stand alone. It is a kingdom of light in the midst of darkness. It is not a kingdom that conquers and controls but it is a kingdom that advocates and intercedes. It is an asset and a benefactor to those living in the dark.
The monastic system of the middle ages was best when it served this purpose when it interceded and advocated for the surrounding community. The best of them served as lights and refuge for the pagan European community. The enduring fruit of their labor is our current university and hospital systems. Pastor Ed Brodrick of our ministry staff has pointed out that there are only two spiritual types in the kingdom, advocates and adversaries. “Which one are you?”
Intercession and advocacy are hard and unappreciated work. It is at times dangerous mission driven work. Everyone who has the light of the Gospel is a foreigner to those who do not. Those that walk in the dark are often hurt and wounded. A wounded animal is a dangerous animal. Even when you are trying to bring healing to a hurt dog it can bite you. Wounded people can be dangerous too. Patience is the virtue that will win them.
I have used darkness and light to describe the distinction between the two spiritual kingdoms but life and death are a better terms. Unbelievers are dead in their trespasses, but Jesus says I am the living one and he holds the keys to death. When we advocating and interceding we are trying to bring to life what is dead.
John is given instructions to write what is now and what will be. These are instructions we should follow as well. People everywhere are trying to understand the nature of suffering. They want to know why things are the way they are, they want to know where God is. The believer should be able to provide light and life to these questions. We should be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have within us. We should have hope because we know that God is working on our behalf, he is a 'now' God. However, he is also a “what will be” God.
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” He knew that there is a God who makes things right in the end. We may suffer now, but we do not suffer alone. God is with us. He tarries so that none will be lost. He tarries so that life and light will prevail. He tarries so that we might advocate, and intercede and grow from fear to faith and establish his Kindom of earth.
