The Book of  Revelations isn’t Really that Scary!

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place.

Revelations 1:1

When I first took on the task of reading the Bible cover to cover, I started with the New Testament. My reasoning for starting there was because of Jesus and my personal belief that the books of the Old Testament point to the arrival of Jesus. As such, I would have a better understanding of the Old Testament after I read the New Testament.

However, when I got to the book or Revelations, I was very nervous and skipped over the book and proceeded to the Old Testament. I always had felt and heard that Revelations was dark and scary. So I put it off to last.

Now I am not the only one who felt this way. Even though it was one of the first books to be included in the New Testament by the early organizers of the Bible, the book was not universally accepted. Even today, there are some in the Eastern church that don’t consider the book to be worthy and don’t include the book in their version of the Bible.

Early Protestant reformers, Luther and Calvin did not think Revelations should be in the Bible. Even when you look at Calvin’s comprehensive commentary’s on the Bible you will find Revelations missing. Both believed the book was not God-inspired.

After reading the book on my first reading of the complete Bible and studying it at Theological school, I changed my views. I came to view Revelations as a wonderful story of the battle between good and evil, that Jesus ultimately wins.

The imagery of the battle between good and evil in Revelations is vivid and very colorful. In part this is what makes the book scary. When you read Revelations you discover very dark characters like Death riding on a pale horse, followed by Hades. Even the angels at one point scorch a third of the earth. Humans even retreat into caves. A cosmic battle between good and evil vividly shown.

Even near the end of the book, the reader is warned to not take anything away from this book. If they do, they will lose their share of the tree of life.

Some really harsh and vivid language. But there is a backdrop to why this type of language was used. While the letter is intended to be the revelation of Jesus to the author, John, as it states in the very first line of Revelations, it was written to give confidence to the general Christian population of the late first century, who were enduring persecution by the Roman Empire.

Specifically, in a concealed way the book is about Rome as the evil empire and Christians as being protected by Jesus. Concealed in not specifically calling out Rome, instead using scary and dark characters to represent evil. This was done to prevent the book from being banished. But as we have seen consistently throughout the New Testament, these writings about current events led to the creation of Biblical masterpieces that can be brought forward in time. Their messages just as relevant to the 21^st century as they are to the 1^st century. God-breathed words, through God created events that created stories and messages that are timeless.

Also, included are letters to seven churches. These letters give guidance to these churches as how to become better Christians. Instructions on how to move closer to Jesus. When you read these letters, you can identify weaknesses in these churches that are not much different than today.  Still relevant criticisms that must urgently be addressed.

The book also uses extensive numerology to tell its story of good and evil. The number seven, which for the reader means God or heavenly things, is mentioned well over one hundred times, explicitly or implicitly. The “Beast” or evil is expressed with “666.” This contrast was used for the hearers of the story in the 1^st century to further draw out the battle between good and evil. In the 1^st century, because so few could read, they received the Bible orally and numerology helped reinforce memory.

There is also a sense of immediacy in the book. And you get this from the first line, where it says,  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place. While this call to action was spoken in the first century, it is really an eternal call to respond quickly to evil. And many have misunderstood this to only apply to the time of its writing. We are now in the 21^st century and the battle between good and evil still exists, so its sense of urgency is for all time. In other words, whenever we are engaged or witness good or evil, we must quickly side with good in our actions and deeds. To do nothing is the same as siding with evil.

A final note in the book that occurs in the final chapter, Jesus declares himself to be the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end. In all things Jesus is the Lord. And in all things Jesus will be involved. And not only that Jesus will resolve evil promptly.

This statement is reassuring for those desirous of doing good and a caution for those committing evil. In that the Alpha and Omega, Jesus, will always prevail.

So while the imagery and words of Revelation are vivid and would rival anything produced by Marvel comics, it is simply a very strong revelation by Jesus for us to always and with urgency resist evil. And when evil occurs or happens to us, to know and have a strong faith that Jesus will always win.

I am now happy to be able to say, that with this knowledge, I can venture into Revelations and not become alarmed. Revelations is a vivid message from Jesus to get our attention to resist evil urgently, for both us as individuals and the church at large.

Listen to the Full Podcast – The Book of Revelations Isn’t That Scary

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness but will have the Light of life.

John [8:12]

On a day when the number of new COVID-19 cases had dropped by fifteen percent for the third day in a row, all I read and saw was frightening headlines. Headlines that promoted danger and reminded us to be fearful. The major newspapers ran headlines that said deaths hit an all-time high on that day. Yet missing from the article was the erroneous inclusion of deaths on that day of missed reporting from January to March.  Simple fact-checking would have revealed the error.

Our news reporting on the national level has become so obviously biased, it is promoting division among the populace. Short of facts and long on agenda, our television has moved from unbiased reporting to opinion-based reporting. Missing are the real facts and news.

In every report, we hear about the risks without the solutions. It seems as if people are setting themselves up to say; I told you so! When we listen or read the news we only get problems, which promotes fear.

In John [8:12], Jesus tells us He is the light of the world. And that those who follow Him will no longer walk in darkness. It is not that following Jesus will make us problem-free, rather Jesus reorients us to think about how to live with hope. People that only give you problems without solutions only create fear. People who see problems and think through the solutions provide hope. They give us the light of encouragement.

In my business life, you couldn’t come to my office with a problem that didn’t contain a solution. Otherwise, we considered the act of just identifying problems as dark behavior. Almost like a hit and run.

Successful Christians, businesses, and people are solution-oriented. Not looking to make things worse by creating fear, but making things better by working the problem.

This is what Jesus is talking about when He says I am the light of the world. And this is what Jesus wants from us; to walk in the light and not in darkness. Jesus wants us to find hope through problem-solving and not fear.

Jesus doesn’t want us to report numbers in the press just to create fear. But to dig deeper and look for hope with a solution. Jesus doesn’t want us to intentionally edit remarks by others to promote our agenda, rather be balanced in our views. Jesus doesn’t want us to look at a small piece of information and make it larger, so we create more fear, rather Jesus wants us to be objective.

The media believes that this negative and fearful reporting will help their business, nothing could be further from the truth. In the all-important 25-54 age group, the combined audience of CNN, MSNBC, and Fox are all seeing drops in viewership of over twenty percent. In fact, if you add up all three, their audience doesn’t achieve one million viewers. A far cry from the lofty numbers of years gone by.

What they are missing is Americans want the truth. Americans want light and not darkness. They are missing that hope sells. They are missing that there is always a solution to every problem.

Thin thinking has led us to this point. Critical thinking will lead us out. It is way too easy to just tell the bad, but far harder to critically think about a solution.

Americans are not dumb they know this difference between thin and critical thinking. Americans are not sheep, rather they are sheepdogs. Give Americans a goal and they will achieve it. Only give Americans problems and they will tune you out. And the numbers don’t lie, Americans are tuning out.

Imagine if those reporting the problem thought first; what would Jesus want us to report? Certainly, the agenda would disappear. Certainly, a harder look at the facts would occur. Certainly, solutions would be revealed. We all know Jesus wouldn’t approve of craftily edited sound bites that don’t reveal the truth.

John Krasinski, from The Office and Jack Ryan, recently set up a YouTube channel called Some Good News. His viewership is over two million people. And he just started! There is a message here about how people want the news. Not overly optimistic, but the real facts.

I can see Jesus sitting back and saying; Well you did a great job at identifying the problem. Now what is the solution and where is there hope. We all know Jesus wouldn’t allow only the darkness to be reported. We all know Jesus would only want the facts and messages of hope.

This is true in our own lives; problems will always appear. Jesus wants us to seek the Light and not darkness.

Listen to the Full Podcast – Avoiding Being Mired by Darkness

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Photo by Anthony Bouzalas on Unsplash

Are Religious Freedoms Being Trampled Because of the Corona Virus?

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

Matthew [18:20]

Due to the lockdowns across our country caused by Covid-19, most churches have been ordered to be closed. Ironically in most states, Liquor stores have been declared an essential business and remain opened. For many Christians, this appears to be a trampling of the first amendment, which protects religious freedom. Certainly, politically we can see this as a denial of our rights and in some state’s lawsuits have been filed.

But as Christians are we driven by politics or acting in a way God desires? In other words, how does God want us to act? After all, didn’t Jesus say; Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things are God’s. Paul in Romans wrote; Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities.

So it appears Biblically, that we should comply with the civil orders, but at the same time stay committed to Jesus. In other words, still worship, but find a different way. Instead of being confrontational, we should put our energies into thinking about alternative ways to worship. Leave the political bickering to civil authorities.

As Christians, we have a long history of figuring out how to be true to Christ and avoid civil conflict. The early Christians in Rome worshipped under the city in the catacombs to avoid upsetting the local authorities. The early Methodists in England met in homes or chapels, so as not to upset the state-sponsored Anglican church. Even in early America when the population grew faster than churches could be built, Methodists and Baptist met in homes or created camp meetings. Ingenuity in worship has always been a Christian hallmark.

Jesus defines worship as; For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew [18:20]) A simple message that means all we have to do is gather in Jesus’s name.

While I agree, the right to practice religious freedom is a constitutional hallmark, I don’t think fighting this ban is as productive as finding other ways to worship. Our energies are better spent using alternative methods and gathering in Jesus’ name.

And many churches are live streaming their services. Some have started drive-in churches, even though some overly zealous authorities have been handing out tickets.

Zoom has become a way for Christians to gather in Jesus’ name. Zoom is a great place to hold small bible groups or even meet for prayer. It has the added advantage of being able to this with friends who are physically far away. I am sure, Jesus would approve of Zoom for small Bible groups and prayer groups.

I am also sure Jesus would not want us to get our neighbors sick, by meeting in unsafe environments. Biblically, social distancing is supported, particularly in Leviticus 13, which lays out the Biblical rules of self-quarantine. Ironically fourteen days is mentioned as the protocol, similar to today’s rules.

Some will disagree and say we should fight harder to protect our religious freedom, to which I heartedly agree. But there are bigger Christian persecution issues we should labor against. Once COVID-19 is diminished, we will be able to go back to our physical church. Instead, we should stay focused on issues that will not go away when COVID-19 disappears; like letting Bibles be okay in school. Fighting for the right to pray in schools.

Internationally, we should still fight for religious freedom in faraway places like China. Today, more than ten percent of Christians live with persecution. Frankly, this is the battle to fight and not be distracted by the obvious insanity of letting liquor stores be open when churches are closed.

Here in the United States, we have viable options for worship, in other parts of the world, many Christians not only do not have options. Their worship is banned, no matter the form. This is where our voices can have a long term impact.

Our voices should be louder with allowing prayer and Bibles to exist in schools and businesses. While atheists will proclaim that this is an invasion of their 1^st Amendment rights, to not allow Christians to pray or read the Bible is also a violation of practicing Christian rights. Those who oppose will say they are being coerced and being put upon illegally. This issue isn’t about anyone being forced but providing the freedom to those who hold Jesus as their source of faith. Prayer and Bibles at work or in schools don’t have to be forced upon people, just made available for practicing Christians.

In the meantime, we will be able to worship together in person in the near future. And at the same time, we have Zoom to connect with other Christians. By the way one of the hidden advantages of virtual Christianity is that people who are geographically far away can now participate. A special blessing for Christian friends to stay connected even though thousands of miles separate them.

Maybe today, reach out to those you know who want to have a virtual Bible study and start one up. Perhaps even start a long-distance prayer group. And don’t forget on Sunday to tune into your church’s live-streamed worship service or perhaps one you find on the internet.

All Jesus asks is that we gather in His name.

Listen to the Full Podcast – Are Religious Freedoms Being Trampled Because of the Corona Virus?

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Photo by Taylor Wilcox on Unsplash

The River Jordan and Being Courageous With Your Faith

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Joshua stands in front of the River Jordan as God’s newly appointed leader of the Israelites who left Egypt over forty years earlier. God has asked that he lead the Israelites to the promised land of milk and honey, across the River Jordan.

Many years earlier, Joshua as a young man, stood on these same banks and was part of a group sent by Moses to investigate and see if it was safe to cross the River Jordan. Joshua, and a man named Caleb, advised Moses that they should proceed across the River Jordan, but others convinced Moses they shouldn’t cross. The others told Moses there were too many obstacles to overcome and they would die on the other side even though crossing the river meant going to the place that God told them was their promised land. The Israelites refused and even began wondering if they should have left Egypt in the first place!

So God left them wandering in the wilderness for forty more years and each year members of the original group died without receiving God’s promise. After forty years the only people that remained of the earlier group were their descendants, Moses and Joshua and as they approached the River Jordan for the second time, Moses knew he would not be going to the promised land. Moses would see the promised land, but he would die on top of a mountain that overlooked God’s gift.

Joshua stood on the banks of the River Jordan, getting ready to lead the Israelites across. There was to be no investigation of the other side, just Joshua’s belief that God would protect the faithful, as he had seen God do many times before in the previous decades. As Joshua left to cross the mighty river, he had God’s simple directions; Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

This second crossing was very dangerous. The River Jordan was flowing at flood stage and would be difficult for the Israelites to cross. God told Joshua to have the priests go first and carry the Ark of the Covenant, and when the priests stepped into the water, the raging waters of the River Jordan stopped, leaving a path for the Israelites to cross.

This group of Israelites was much stronger in their faith than their predecessors; they crossed over and settled the land. Although they faced many obstacles in their settlement, God protected them and was true to the promise he made to Joshua; for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. This faith allowed them to reside in the promised land of milk and honey.

At this point you may ask why didn’t the first group trust God and cross over when they had already seen many of God’s miracles. On their journey from Egypt, God had Moses part the Red Sea and released them from Pharaoh and He gave them manna from heaven to eat and produced water from stones. Despite all God had done for them, they allowed their human fears, of great danger and doom of the unknown, prevent them from crossing the River Jordan. They made up stories to defend their position about people who were giants on the other side and allowed their humanness to swamp their faith in God.

For many the River Jordan is both historical and symbolic. Over the years many have used this story to inspire themselves to move over their River Jordan. In fact, when you look up the River Jordan in Wikipedia, part of the description is about its symbolism.

This story easily extends to future readers of the bible to imagine and connect with their own life challenges. This story is about being brave with your faith and trusting God so we aren’t left wandering in our own wilderness but are released from our bondage.

So while we can wonder why the first group didn’t trust God and cross the River Jordan, shouldn’t we also focus on our own personal crossing of the River Jordan? What is it in our own lives that is our current River Jordan? Is it a delayed call to a friend to apologize? Is it a long put off task? Perhaps it is something bigger, like drug addiction or alcoholism. Maybe a nasty bad habit.

Whether it is large or small, not crossing our personal River Jordan leaves us in our personal wilderness, like those who first approached the River Jordan. We know what we must do, but don’t believe we are brave enough or courageous enough to cross. In those moments we forget the promise of God; to not be afraid; to not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

This is the point of faith; not letting our fears swamp over our trust in God. This is simple to think and say; or even to advise others. But when we are standing on the shore of our River Jordan, even at flood stage; the decision to move across is deeply personal and unique to each of us.

Inevitably it means letting go and just crossing. It means remembering the times God was with you in the past. Sometimes it takes a friend to encourage you. The River Jordan must be crossed, or we are left wandering in our personal wilderness adrift from God.

Ironically, the moment you cross over, you immediately feel relief and are rid of your fears. Many times you may be left thinking what was the fuss all about. This crossing strengthens and revitalizes us. Most importantly we will know God was with us.

And this is the essence of our relationship with God; letting our fears go to accept God’s promised land of milk and honey.

Listen to the Full Podcast – Crossing Our River Jordan

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

1^st Thessalonians 2:4

Paul sits in Corinth having been joined by his student, Timothy and writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica. The date is sometime between 50AD and 52AD. Paul is currently in the middle of his second missionary journey. The letter Paul writes is likely the first of all his great letters.

Since Paul’s conversion experience on the road to Damascus, he has spent three years in the wilderness; met with Peter and the early church in Jerusalem; waited in Taurus for a way to help spread the good news about Jesus; finally called to work with Barnabas in Antioch, and then complete his first missionary journey. And now he is in the second of his three missionary journeys to spread the Good News of Jesus. A time frame that has spanned around fifteen years.

Paul has endured a lot and his trials along the way have become legendary. Now, he sits peacefully in Corinth. Timothy has returned from Thessalonica with good news about the church they helped create. Paul is overjoyed and relieved; his work is bearing fruit. Through his many struggles and travels, he has worked very hard to spread the message about Christ throughout the Gentile world, now it seems it has been worth the effort.

Now begins the time Paul uses his extraordinary literary skills and writes the Letter to the Thessalonians. The first of many that would not only encourage and help those he visited but resonate throughout the ages for many others. These letters would become his other mission. Letters so skillfully written that their messages are still relevant for Christians centuries later.

Out of joy, Paul writes to the Thessalonians. A message so infused with heartfelt expressions,  as the reader, you can feel this joy spring forth. We have all had this moment in our lives. When we have worked hard and seen the fruits of our labor. A place of silent satisfaction, knowing that we have achieved something so personally important, we sit with a joy that is hard to contain. This is where Paul was for this moment.

The letter doesn’t really contain any deep theological pronouncements, rather it is a to the point reminder of the basic values of Christianity. Kind of a primer that lays out the basics.  But in chapter 2:4; Paul makes a radical statement for that time that is easily overlooked when reading 1^st Thessalonians. It says; On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

The critical statement of; we are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts, is a critical point about what it takes to be a good Christian. In all that we do or say; it should be pointed to please God.

Now for 21^st century Christians, this might seem obvious and rather simple. But consider the 1st-century reader, who lived in a world controlled by kings and emperors, freedom of whom to please was minimal.

Beyond its basic point of whatever we do, we should do to please God; this was a revolutionary and new concept for the Gentile community. A radical departure from serving and pleasing masters or emperors. The statement is a dramatic reorientation of their minds as to whom they serve. An extraordinary change in mindset from how they were living.

In part, this direction stated by Paul directly led to the persecution of Christians that would last for almost another three hundred years.

To turn away from worshipping the Roman gods or the emperor, who was considered a god, meant in some way, treason. In later years, Christians would be challenged to show their loyalty by pinching incense to prove their loyalty to the Roman gods and the emperor. Their reluctance to do this put them at odds with the ruling authorities and sometimes cost them their lives. Yet many did try to please God first. Their bravery propelled the growth of Christianity forward to today.

What about us in the 21^st century, we certainly have more freedom of choice in what we do and how we think? What can we take from this letter? Well many of us don’t have to publicly bow down to an emperor or masters. Instead, we have to fight off those internal temptations of life that move us away from God.

For us there are different things; power, money, and fame that lure us away from God. Things of life are put in front of us than bend our values. Causing us at times to rationalize our intentions. Forcing us to internally calibrate our real motives.

This doesn’t mean we should not try to be successful or to work hard to provide for our families. Instead, it means that in all we do we should do as to please God and not our human desires.

The pursuit of those positive things of life and pleasing God, we shouldn’t view as separate, but as interlinked. We should show passion for being our best. We should try to be the best parent, spouse, friend, partner, tradesperson, or businessperson we can be. But this doesn’t mean we can’t connect these efforts to pleasing God as well. Rather our mission is to do both.

Paul is asking us in this letter, not to be the best at pleasing others, rather please God while being the best person we can be. It is a higher calling than just existing successfully, but to exist successfully with God’s values.

Now we should also remember, sometimes when we seek to first please God, we will lose in the short term. And this is the point of faith, knowing and believing that pleasing God will at times give us short term losses, but over time long term benefit.

Pleasing God is an important message of Paul to the Thessalonians, which also applies to us in the 21^st century. This is an important and foundational principle of Christianity; to please God in all that we do, say, and think. The more we practice this principle, the easier it becomes.

By the way, God is easier to please than some people.

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Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

Photo by Senzekile Msomi on Unsplash

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