Revelation 6:1-8:5: The Seven Seals

Have you ever watched a movie that told the same story from several different angles?  Or have you read a novel that didn't progress in a normal linear fashion?  It may have flashed forward and backward over and over again.  The book of Revelation is a bit like both of these.  It tells the same basic story three times, but from slightly different angles and with multiplied amplification each time.  It also flashes forward and backwards from time to time.  As we progress in our exploration of this fantastic literary piece, we need to be aware of this so that we don't misunderstand John's message.  The following outline should help keep us on track.  

In Revelation 6:1-8:5 we will be introduced to the main message of the apocalypse through 7 seals.  After that, we will receive the same basic message but with more graphic detail as we hear the 7 trumpets in 8:6-11:19.  We then encounter a kind of interlude in Revelation 12:1-15:8, which serves to give further definition to the struggle that the book describes, before we are given access to the main message of Revelation this time driven home through the 7 bowls of wrath in chapter 16.  Each of the three sets of 7 are describing the same things, but from different angles and with increasing intensity.  Chapters 17-22 adds flesh to the skeletal structure provided in chapters 6-16.  So, let's jump into the first set of 7 - the 7 seals beginning with the first 4 seals.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 

To understand the first 4 seals, it helps to be familiar with the state of the Roman Empire toward the end of the 1st century.  Though the empire controlled all of the land masses touching the Mediterranean Sea, it had not conquered the lands east of the fertile crescent.  In what is today, Iran, a group of people called the Parthians had not bowed their knees in allegiance to Rome.  These Parthians were excellent horsemen (similar to the Comanche Indians of the mid 19th century) and were considered a legitimate threat on the eastern flank of the empire.  So, when John sees 4 horsemen as the first 4 seals are opened, it is unmistakable that though Rome promotes itself as being untouchable and undefeatable, it is much more vulnerable than it pretends.  The first horseman rides a white stallion and carries a bow, with the mission to conquer.  The second horseman sits atop a red horse carrying a sword in order to take away peace (the Pax Romana is not as secure as thought).  The third rider is on a black mount, holding scales - his impact will be economic.  Finally, the last horseman rides a "puke" green horse, representing death and Hades.  He will execute justice through warfare, famine, and pestilence.  What John sees in these visions are that Rome is not nearly as safe, sound, and secure as the imperial propaganda might make out.

The Fifth Seal - "How Long Must We Sing this Song?"

Though Rome is not untouchable, they have touched the lives of God's people.  Already, some within the 7 churches of Asia have lost their lives for their faith.  When the 5th seal is opened, John sees saints who have been beheaded crying out to God, "How long will it be until we are avenged?"  These martyrs are not given an exact timetable but receive white robes (representing purity) and are told to rest a little longer.  The good news is that one day justice will be served, but the bad news is that there are still more to be killed for their faith.  

The Sixth Seal - The Day of the Lord has Arrived 

As the 6th seal is opened, the day of the Lord has arrived.  Throughout the Biblical narrative, the phrase "the day of the Lord" signaled a time when the world or at least the world of God's people would be turned upside down.  Usually, this entailed the people of God being vindicated and their enemies being defeated.  However, sometimes it was God's own people who might face an uncertain future and/or judgement when the day of the Lord arrived.  After the resurrection of Jesus, Christians began to see the day of the Lord as the time when Jesus would return and right all wrongs.  He would judge both the living and the dead.  Those willing to bend their knee and confess his Lordship would be saved and welcomed into the renewed creation.  Those who refused him and his offer of eternal life, would forfeit their lives and their place in the age to come.  

Though Revelation 6:12-17 doesn't expressly use the phrase, "the day of the Lord", it is clear that that is what the vision of the 6th seal is describing.  We should not press the descriptions too far in a literal direction, but it is clear that the world will never be the same after the events of the 6th seal.  It appears that many will have refused to kneel before Jesus and will thus forfeit their place in the age to come.  But what of those who have given their allegiance to the Lamb?  Read on...

Sealed for Salvation 

Once the 6 seals have been opened it is clear that God's judgements are coming on the idolatrous/pagan Roman Empire.  But what of those who have remained faithful to Jesus and to his vision of kingdom?  Revelation 7:1-8 states that God's people (both historic Israel and now the Church) are sealed with a mark on their foreheads and will not suffer the judgments to come.  The number 144,000 is clearly symbolic (12 X 12,000).  But they are not the only ones who will be saved into God's new creation.

As John does a double take, he is confronted with an uncountable number of people from every tribe, nation, language, and people who worship God the Father, and the Lamb.  Though not described in detail, somehow even those previously unreached with the gospel of Christ have come to acknowledge Jesus as Lord.  They, along with the historic people of God will enjoy eternal life in the age to come.  But there is still one seal to be opened.

The 7th Seal 

When the 7th seal is opened instead of plagues and judgment, we get silence.  After a half an hour, John sees 7 angels standing before God preparing to blow seven trumpets.  The 7th seal serves as a launching pad for the 7 trumpets.  But rather than receiving new revelation with the 7 trumpets, we will discover that the 7 trumpets are a mere recapitulation of the 7 seals, but with added force and detail.  

In 7:3-5 we also learn that the prayers of the saints on earth are being heard by God, and they are also being answered.  This sidenote is important.  It may seem as though the plagues unveiled in Revelation are inevitable.  But the message of Revelation is as much an invitation to repent, as it is a warning of judgment.  The prayers of the saints make a difference.  Not everything has been set in stone.

The overarching message of Revelation 6:1-8:5 is that though it seems that Rome is in control, its control is much less secure than it believes.  In fact, Rome and those who align themselves with its idolatry will suffer judgment, if not in this life, at least in the age to come.  But for those who commit their ways to Jesus, they will be vindicated and receive the life of the age to come.  And there's even hope for those who may not have yet come to know Christ, but more on that as the book develops.  In the meantime, read on and continue to pray - it makes a difference! - Shay  

Revelation 4-5 - What's Going on in Heaven?

 A little over 700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah had a vision whereby he saw the glory of YHWH, descending from heaven and filling the temple in Jerusalem.  Isaiah's vision was so magnificent and so awe inspiring that it would make the most pyrotechnic/audio-visually stimulating rock concert feel like an acoustic set in a coffee shop.  All Isaiah could do in response was to utter, "Woe is me...I'm lost...I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips."  You can read about this experience in Isaiah 6.

Over a hundred years later, another prophet, this time in exile, had a similar vision of the glory of God.  In both visions, a direct unobstructed view of God is not possible, but what is seen is nearly indescribable.  Surrounding YWHW are heavenly creatures that resemble and yet transcend animals and people on earth in their splendor and majesty.  Their sole job seems to be to perpetually worship the God of all creation, displaying his glory and honor for those lucky few who are given access to this incredible vision.  Like Isaiah, Ezekiel is at a loss and simply falls on his face in response.

In the 90s of our common era, another prophet with Judean roots experiences something similar when he is given a glimpse of what is presently taking place in heaven, while he and his fellow disciples of Christ are struggling to remain faithful to the Lord in a hostile pagan environment on earth.  Let's pick up John's narrative description of his ecstatic vision from Revelation 4.

Revelation 4 - The Glory of God the Father 

John immediately sees the throne of God in heaven, but he cannot see God himself.  He tries to describe it by saying that the one seated on the throne looks like precious gems and surrounding the throne is a rainbow, that looks like emerald.  This doesn't do justice to the visual, but it is an attempt of describing the indescribable.  

Like in Isaiah's and Ezekiel's vision, surrounding God are others whose sole purpose is to perpetually proclaim the majestic greatness of the Father.  Around the throne are 24 elders, probably representing the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles (see later Rev 21:12-14).  Also surrounding the throne are 4 living creatures, which are a kind of amalgamation of Isaiah's and Ezekiel's visions.  These strange creatures sing day and night, "Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come."  In response to this worship, like Ezekiel, the 24 elders fall before God's throne, casting their crowns before him (they acknowledge that all authority belongs to God).  They too sing, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

In Rev 4, God the creator is worshiped.  In Rev 5, God the redeemer will also receive the worship due his name.

Revelation 5 - The Worthiness of God the Son  

Though God's appearance is not completely accessible to John, he sees the right hand of God the Father, holding a scroll, sealed with 7 seals.  A mighty angel asks the question, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"  As we discover later in Revelation, the scroll contains the message to be revealed - the things that are and the things that must soon take place.  However, there seems to be no one who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals.  Will this message remain forever hidden?  John believes so and begins to weep.  But one of the elders informs him that there is in fact a person who is worthy to reveal the contents of the scroll - it is Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the descendant of King David and because he has conquered, he can perform the task at hand.  

But as John looks to see the Lion of Judah, instead, he sees a little Lamb who bears the signs of having been slaughtered.  This is an oxymoronic vision.  The Lion who has conquered, is simultaneously the Lamb who has been slain.  We discover that this is ultimately how God wins his victory - he conquers through submission and surrender.  And this one whose death has opened up a way of life takes the scroll from the right hand of God the Father.  Immediately, the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders burst into praise, not for God's work in creation, but for his work in redemption.  They sing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth." 

Revelation 5 continues with the worship of the Lamb as the 4 living creatures and the 24 elders are joined by thousands upon thousands of angels singing in full voice!  What a choir!  What a scene.  The elders can only respond just as Isaiah and Ezekiel had - they fall down and they worship!  

Revelation 4 and 5 Sets the Scene for the Remainder of the Book

The 7 churches described in Revelation 2-3 need to hear and see what John hears and sees in Revelation 4-5.  They are bombarded with the message that Domitian is lord of the world.  They are being told that he is the one who sits on the throne and that only he is worthy of their worship.  But the message of Revelation 4-5 is that God is both creator and redeemer and he is in fact the only being in all of creation who is worthy to praised.  It may seem that Domitian reigns on the earth, but as Revelation 5:10 states, it will be those faithful to Christ who will one day reign on earth, as they will be invited by God the Father and God the Son to sit upon the throne and to share in God's reign over the renewed creation.  The rest of Revelation will describe how that will come about.  Read on... - Shay 

Revelation 2-3 - Love Letters from Jesus

Imagine that you discover an epic love poem written with archaic language, difficult metaphors, and historically specific references.  You are able to decipher much of the poem, as love is a universal concept and you connect with the images on a gut-level basis, but some of the more specific details are more difficult to decipher due to your distance from the original author and recipient.  But then imagine that you also discover an accompanying love letter written to the recipient.  Within the letter you are made aware of the time, place, and situational specifics of the original context of both writings.  Now, you can not only use the letter to aid in interpretation of the poem, but the poem also helps you decipher much of the letter as well.  

Though an imperfect metaphor, something like this is going on with the book of Revelation.  There is poetry and song within this literary masterpiece, but there is also another genre of literature - apocalyptic - that can be even more challenging to decipher than standard poetry and can easily be misunderstood if read "too literally".  However, the work also contains within its bounds a more straightforward genre of writing - letters.  After the introduction of chapter 1, Jesus through John delivers a letter to each of the seven churches of Asia.  The scholarly consensus is that Revelation was produced in the early to mid 90s of the 1st Century, and so coupled with the messages of the letters, and then the later apocalyptic visions, we can get a pretty good handle on what the message of the book is all about. 

The seven churches that these letters are directed to are in the beginning stages of a crisis that will become far worse before it gets better.  Though there are many side issues that accompany this crisis, the main issue at hand is the tension and struggle that these small Christian communities face as they seek to remain faithful to the Lord Jesus, while making their way in a Roman Empire which demands absolute loyalty and even worship of Caesar, who at this point in history is Domitian (reigned from 81-96 AD).  And, just as in our world, the gods of money and sex are also on offer through the smorgasbord of 1st Century idolatry.

It is also important to be aware that within the Roman Empire, Jews were allowed to continue to remain monotheistic and were given the option to pray for the emperor, rather than to him.  Christianity had initially been considered a sect of Judaism, and so by extension was initially exempt from emperor worship, but by the late first century there had been a clear rupture between the church and the synagogue.  Therefore, Christians were no longer "grandfathered" in under Judaism's terms.  One sees this tension played out in some of the opposition that Christians receive, not only from the Romans, but also from some, but not all Jews.  

Jesus speaks through the Spirit to the churches and John writes the message in a standard epistolary form of the day.  Jesus has both words of condemnation and words of encouragement for these communities.  These letters are not simply addressed to each church, but also to the angel of these particular churches.  It may be that God had assigned a "guardian angel" to watch over these congregations, or it may simply be a literary flourish.  Either way, the messages to the churches are what's really important.  Each letter to the churches uses the same template.  So rather than writing paragraph after paragraph detailing Christ's word to these congregations, I will use an outline form to briefly highlight the message to each church.  Where necessary I will give a brief explanation of my interpretation of the meaning behind some of the references that may seem a bit foreign without greater historical context.  I would encourage you to read through chapters 2-3 in conjunction with the outlines below.  

To the Church in Ephesus

Description of Jesus - Holds the 7 stars in his right hand and walks among the 7 golden lampstands (the lampstands symbolize the church)

Commendation - Hard work, patient endurance, doctrinal orthodoxy

Rebuke - They have lost their first love (either their love of Jesus or others or most likely both)

Judgment/Possible Consequences - Removal of lampstand (might cease to be a church community)

Promise - Permission to eat from the tree of life in God's paradise 

To the Church in Smyrna 

Description of Jesus - The first and the last, who was dead and came to life

Commendation - They have remained faithful through poverty, affliction, and in the face of slander from some Jews in Smyrna 

Rebuke - None

Judgment/Possible Consequences - No judgment from Jesus, but they will continue to be persecuted and tested

Promise - Reception of the crown of (eternal) life and will not be harmed by the second death 

To the Church in Pergamum

Description of Jesus - He who has the sharp two-edged sword

Commendation - Have not denied the name of Jesus in the face of extreme persecution and even martyrdom

Rebuke - Some in the church are compromising with the local culture through idolatry and sexual immorality 

Judgment/Possible Consequences - Jesus will bring swift judgment (not specified, but imminent) on the unrepentant

Promise - Reception of hidden manna (spiritual and physical sustenance, like God's provision for Israel in the wilderness) and a white stone with a new name (large white stones were used for engravings in the area and sometimes small white stones were used for invitations to important local functions)

To the Church in Thyatira 

Description of Jesus - Eyes like a flame of fire and feet like polished bronze 

Commendation - Love, faith, service, patient endurance, and growing effectiveness 

Rebuke - Toleration of a false prophetess who has convinced some in the community to engage in idolatry and sexual immorality 

Judgement/Possible Consequences - Death (spiritual and physical)

Promise - Authority over the nations and the morning star (symbol of victory and sovereignty)

To the Church in Sardis 

Description of Jesus - He who has the 7 spirits and 7 stars 

Commendation - None (though a few have not "soiled" their garments)

Rebuke - Their reputation outranks their faithfulness; they are asleep and need to wake up 

Judgment/Possible Consequences - Jesus will come like a thief to judge them

Promise - Clothed in white robes (symbol of purity and new life), they will not be blotted out of the book of life, Jesus will confess their names before his Father 

To the Church in Philadelphia 

Description of Jesus - The holy and true one who has the key of David - what he opens, no one shuts, what he shuts, no one opens 

Commendation - Though lacking power, they have remained faithful to the name and words of Jesus 

Rebuke - None (though, like those in Smyrna, they too are facing persecution from some Jews)

Judgment/Possible Consequences - None, but Jesus will convince those persecuting the Christians in Philadelphia that these believers are truly his people, and they will be spared some of the impending trials

Promise - To be made pillars in the temple of God, to be named with God's own name, Jesus' own new name, and the name of the New Jerusalem (in other words, the Philadelphian church will be full recipients of eternal life in the age to come in God's renewed world)

To the Church in Laodicea 

Description of Jesus - The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God's creation

Commendation - None

Rebuke - They are lukewarm (in this context, hot water would have been used for medicinal purposes and cold water would have been refreshing and drinkable, but to be lukewarm is to be useless and disgusting) and though financially secure, they are spiritually bankrupt

Judgment/Possible Consequences - Jesus will spew them from his mouth, like someone would spew lukewarm, overly calcified and mineralized water from their mouth 

Promise - To be given a place on Christ's throne to share in the rule of the Father and the Son over the renewed creation in the age to come

Though certainly containing moments of rebuke and warning, all seven letters to the seven churches of Asia are love letters from Jesus.  Even in the warnings of possible judgment and in the condemnation of present behaviors, Jesus is urging his beloved followers to remain faithful to him despite the challenges of living in a hostile, pagan environment.  He promises them that if they repent and remain true to the end, they will inherit eternal life in God's renewed world.  Chapters 2-3 of Revelation give us insight into the situation John's audience is facing in the late the 1st Century.  But while all of this is taking place on earth, what's going on in heaven?  Revelation 4-5 will give us insight into that.  Read on. - Shay     

Revelation Unveiled - Chapter One

The book of Revelation begins by declaring its genre from the get-go - it is an "apocalypse".  In our modern world, apocalyptic normally is associated with chaos, catastrophe, and dramatic end of the world scenarios, of the Hollywood variety.  But the Greek word apokalupsis, from where we get the word Revelation simply means to unveil or reveal.  Much like pulling back the curtain on a game show prize, what John's writing seeks to do is to reveal true reality - to give a perspective on the world and God's ultimate purposes that would otherwise remain hidden.

In verse one of the book, we are told that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ - either from Jesus, or about Jesus, or probably both.  It is a message given from God the Father to Jesus the Son, who then dispatched it to an angel who delivered it to John.  John then passes the revelation onto the seven churches of Asia - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  These churches are located in what is today Western Turkey.  John, exiled for his faith in Jesus to the isle of Patmos, received the revelation from the angel in a series of visions which he later wrote down and edited and then sent to these seven churches.  This is crucial for our understanding of Revelation.  The message of Revelation had to make sense for these seven churches.  It was first and primarily written for them.  It only became a part of our Christian scripture at a much later date.  This literary masterpiece still has the power to speak to us 2,000 years later, but we must first understand it in its original context if we wish it to make sense today.  

As we will soon discover, the seven churches of Asia are already experiencing challenging times and will soon be face to face with even greater difficulties.  Revelation is written in the early to mid 90s of the first century.  Domitian sits on the Roman throne, and he demands not only loyalty and homage, but even worship. 

For many decades the emperors had begun to promote the worship of themselves and though many in and around Rome itself paid this megalomania little heed, out in the further reaches of the empire, emperor worship was far more common.  In fact, in Asia Minor, where John's seven churches were located, several shrines, statues, and altars had been erected for the Roman Caesars and there was quite a lot of pressure placed on the residents of those regions to offer incense and other forms of worship to the head of the Roman Empire.  How might disciples of Jesus who had confessed that he and no other is Lord navigate this tricky social and political situation?

As John put his visions into writing, it appears that Caesar is in fact Lord of the Roman world, if not the larger sphere.  But Jesus Christ has a different perspective on things, and what Caesar represents is nothing more than a house of cards on shifting sand.  In the not-too-distant future, a mighty wind will blow this house of cards down and the loose sand beneath it will be blown to smithereens too.  The churches of that time will suffer, that is to be sure, but if they remain faithful through the time of trial, they will receive the crown of life in God's renewed creation in the end.  

This is essentially the message of Revelation.  And chapter one serves to introduce these themes to the careful reader.  We will begin to see things even clearer as we progress, so stay tuned.  There's far more to come! - Shay 

Unlocking Revelation

In the late 1980s, REM released their hit song, "It's The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)."  The song really has nothing to do with the end of the world but is simply a revved-up rock 'n roll tune with catchy melodies and clever lyrics.  But the idea that our generation may be the last generation - that we may be witnesses or even participants in the climax of history, is a seductive thought for many and has had a long history going back at least a thousand years, if not longer.  Many who hold such a view do so based on their interpretation of the Bible, especially the final book, Revelation.  But is Revelation really a roadmap to the end of days?  Is it some kind of code that will unlock the secrets of the future?  By studying this book of apocalyptic prophesy, can we really determine how God will bring to fruition the final restoration of all things?  

Over the next several weeks this blog will dive into the book of Revelation.  We will seek to understand this amazing literary masterpiece in its original late 1st century context, and we will try to discover what this 2,000-year-old message might still have to say to us today.  I think this will be a fun ride and I hope you'll join us for it.

But before we go further, let's lay out a few suggestions that might help keep us from straying too far from the central message of the book.  First of all, let's consider what Revelation is not.

What Revelation is Not

The book of Revelation was not written to give its readers a detailed roadmap of the end times.  It is not history being written before it occurs.  It does explore God's ultimate purposes for creation and his people, but it does not do so in any kind of predictive "Nostradamus-esque" manner.  So then, what is this apocalyptic prophesy all about?

What Revelation Is

Revelation is a complex, but understandable late first century document written to a specific audience of believers who made up churches in the Eastern Roman Empire in what is today Western Turkey.  These believers were soon to undergo intense persecution for their faith and many of these Christians were wrestling with how far they might go to accommodate the wider culture around them, while still maintaining their allegiance to Jesus Christ.  The prophet John writes these believers to exhort them to remain faithful to Jesus and to avoid the idolatry that was so common around them.  John does reveal God's ultimate future for the world in this writing, but he does so in ways that are firmly rooted in the book's original ancient context.  For this writing to make a difference for John's first readers, it had to make sense to them.  Throughout this blog series, we will seek to understand how they would have heard these words and then hopefully, it will make sense for us as well.

Revelation is one of the most stunning and exciting works in all of Christian scripture.  It captivates the reader with its images, and it evokes a sense of awe and wonder with the scope and scale of its themes.  It is at once intriguing and at times, even a little scary.  But at its heart it is a message that should motivate and encourage followers of the Lamb.  There will be some ups and downs for sure, but I hope you'll come along for the ride! - Shay 

A Tower to the Heavens

This is the 12th and final blog post covering Genesis 1-11, known by scholars as the primeval Genesis narratives.  What we've covered in these 11 chapters are not historical stories, in the modern sense of "history", but rather mythopoeic origin narratives with a monotheistic theological twist.  These stories were undoubtedly first spread by the Israelites orally, and then only much later were they written down in the present form.  In fact, these narratives were almost assuredly written down at many different times and formats and were only brought together in the form that we now have sometime around the time of the Judean exile to Babylon.  The final story from these chapters clearly demonstrates its exilic setting. 

Around 600 years prior to the birth of Jesus, most of the Judeans were taken by the Babylonians into captivity.  During this time, much of what later became the "Old Testament" or the Hebrew scriptures was compiled into its final form.  Some of these writings had been orally passed down from generation to generation, but many others had existed in various written manifestations.  Through time, these stories, poetry, and discourses had taken on an authoritative voice in the Jewish community.  Though clearly passed on and written down by humans, they were acknowledged to have been inspired by God and were given a unique status as a guide for the Jewish people and the basis for the Jewish religion.

So, as the Judean people lived their exilic lives in the shadow of Babylonian Ziggurats (rectangular towers climaxing in a kind of pyramid shape at the top - often used for temple worship to pagan gods), the final story of the Genesis primeval narratives took shape.

In a previous blogpost in this series, I mentioned how language differentiates humanity from the rest of the animal kingdom.  Here in Genesis 11, we discover that the use of language might very well allow humanity to become almost God-like. 

"Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.  And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.  And they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.'  And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.  Then they said, 'Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.'  The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built.  And the Lord said, 'Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.  Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another's speech.'  So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.  Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of the earth." - Genesis 11:1-9 (NRSV)

Just as Eve had done in the garden, so now the people of Babel reach up to the heavens to grasp the place of God.  They use their united speech and technology to transcend their human role and vocation.  Rather than spreading throughout the earth as God had commanded them, they congregate in Babel (Babylon) and seek to build a tower up to the heavens. 

In the earlier chapters of Genesis, we have seen the ever-widening effect of human sin and brokenness.  Can the use of human ingenuity and technology now solve all of human problems?  Genesis 11 tells us that actually, because of human sin and brokenness, technology has just as much a chance to simply exacerbate human problems, rather than fixing them.  Out of God's grace and mercy, he confuses the human language, forcing the various tribes and peoples to scatter out upon the face of the earth.  Better to limit human "progress" when it is used for selfish and idolatrous reasons, than to allow it to grow unchecked.

It is interesting how often we humans have expected our technological progress to solve all of our problems.  But it seems that for every problem we solve, we create a host of other issues that might be far worse than the original challenges we hoped to overcome.  

So, then what is the hope of the human race?  Is there a solution to redeem God's good, but now flawed and marred creation?  Can the confusion of Babel be reversed?  Will there be a re-creation, as in the time of Noah?  Can the curse of Cain be overcome?  Will Adam's and Eve's sin forever taint the human race?  Is there a solution?  

The Bible says, "Yes!" -  and this solution begins with a man, called Abram, who is later renamed, Abraham.  And with this man begins the story of how God will come to redeem and be with his people.  It's an epic story, and in the final chapter of this story, God unites every tribe, language, people, and nation on the face of the earth.  In the end, humanity doesn't climb up to the heavens, as in the story of Babel, rather God comes down to the earth to be with his people forever.  It's a big narrative, so read on! - Shay 

From De-creation to Re-creation

When I was growing up, I remember hearing about adventurers who believed that they had discovered Noah's ark.  It didn't take long for these discoveries to be discredited and discounted.  More recently, a large exhibit in Kentucky was created with a full-sized replica ark and of course, accompanying gift shops and other money-making add-ons.  The problem with these ventures whether of the exploratory or exploitative variety, is that they fail to understand the nature of the Noah literature in Genesis 6-9 and thereby literalize it, rather than grasping its symbolic nature and significance.  They literally miss the forest for the trees, or rather the ocean for the stream, as it were.

Centuries before the Biblical narrative of Noah's flood was compiled, in the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh, a Noah-like figure named Utnapishtim, survives a global flood by building a giant ship where he and his family, along with the world's animals are carried safely through the storm.  And it's not only the Babylonians who rehearsed similar tales, but throughout the ancient near east, epic tales like Utnapishtim's flood were spread far and wide.  

It's clear that neither Utnapishtim nor Noah are historical figures.  They may be based on a real-life person who survived a localized flood, but in their current versions it is obvious that the facts of the original story, if in fact there was an historical anchor to it at all, have been altered in the service of a mythopoeic narrative.  And since the Epic of Gilgamesh pre-dates the Old Testament Pentateuch, the Biblical compilers obviously borrowed from Gilgamesh, and not vice versa.  

However, this does not mean that there are not great truths to be learned from both Utnapishtim's, as well as Noah's story.  Since this blog covers the big narrative of the Bible, we will focus on the story as told by the Biblical authors in Genesis 6-9.

As Genesis winds its way through the fall of humanity in the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, a pattern of the ever-widening effect of human sin and brokenness becomes evident.  This pattern grows unchecked until even spiritual beings are affected by human rebellion (Genesis 6:1-4). 

As YHWH looks down on humanity, he discovers that wickedness is rife and that "every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually." (Gen 6:5).  That's amazing!  You would imagine that at least occasionally someone might have had a nice thought, if not at least a neutral thought.  But no, humankind had gone to hell in a handbasket!  The state of humanity is so twisted and disgusting that we are told that it brought God himself to repentance.  God was sorry that he had initiated this whole human experiment to begin with and so he decides to undue his creation.  After initiating the creation process, YHWH begins a de-creation event, beginning with people, moving to the other animals, and even reaching the birds of the air.  This order is the exact opposite of the order of creation as told in Genesis 1.  It is clear, God has moved from creation to de-creation.  But is this the final word in the story?  

Thank God, no!  There's one man, who compared to the sorry scumbags of his generation, is a fairly stand-up guy.  His name is Noah, and not only does he walk with God, but he will also be the one through whom humanity, the other animals, and even creation itself will be rescued.

If you have forgotten the Noah story, go back and read Genesis 6-9.  You will read about Noah building a gigantic barge where he, his family, and a representative selection of the earth's animals will ride out the storm and the global flooding catastrophe to come.  After several months, the flood waters subside and Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark eventually walk back out onto dry land.  

Rather than destroying the entire creation with the flood, YHWH instead uses the global catastrophe to cleanse the world.  The de-creation of the flood leads to a re-creation, so that when Noah and his family walk out onto the soil, they are entering a whole new world.  Noah now becomes a kind of "Adam and Eve" like figure.  Just as Eve reached out her hand to take the fruit, so Noah plants a vineyard, but then misuses God's good creation and gets drunk on the wine, the fruit of the vine.  In fact, he gets so plastered that he is running around naked and making a fool of himself.  His son Ham makes matters worse by mocking his own father, bringing down a curse on him and his descendants.  Ham's story reminds us immediately of the curse of Cain and the brokenness and sin that proliferated through his genetic spawn. 

So, we are in a sense, right back where we started.  Out of his love, grace, and mercy, God made a new creation.  But the human beings in this renewed world were just as broken and sinful as the humans in the previous iteration of creation.  Like the earlier stories in Genesis 1-5, the Noah story is "fictional" on the surface, but as deep as the mighty ocean in its depth.  It is as true in a universal sense as any story ever told.

The Noah story gives us a clear glimpse of where the Biblical narrative is going.  Because like in the Noah story, the story of the Bible is the story of "Creation to New Creation".  It's the story of God and how he comes to dwell with his people.  But where will this story end?  Is there a solution to human sin and brokenness?  Where is this story going?  Read on... - Shay