It’s time, once more, for The Conservatory’s “bring your own perceptions” interdenominational Bible study. This week, we’re going to get out of our comfort zones, and into the formidable Book of Revelations.
Specifically, we’ll be checking out Revelations 22, verses 12-17 (the links will take you to the whole chapter, though; I’m all about context, Baby).
Here’s the New American Standard Version:
Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.
And let’s also look at the King James version:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
This is about the Kingdom of God, which is—depending upon one’s theology—strictly applicable to the Afterlife and/or the post-judgement time frame, or can be apprehended in little snippets on our current plane of existence, when we try very hard, or when moments of grace descend upon us.
At first glance the passage evokes a kind of tribalism, what with the allusion to the sinners outside the Gates—but the Holy City, remember, is either metaphorical or, if literal, part of a post-judgement existence. We know that the Gospel tells us to minister to the spiritually disenfranchised as well as the materially deprived (and we have Christ’s own example on both counts as well). So we are led, I suspect, to focus on the image of being within a protected circle—literal, perhaps, in the future, but something attainable in flashes of grace in the here and now. The focus is on God, and His gifts for those in the City, rather than getting clubbish with other believers.
What is it today that you “thirst” for in particular? Beyond the all-important fact of salvation, what can the Water of Life be to you in the here and now?
More on the various approaches to interpreting Revelation can be found here, but the overarching message is one of nurturance and the fulfillment of human needs. Is there a “God-shaped” hole in the human soul? Can it ever be completely filled? Or, as Mr. Spock might have told us, is “wanting” more satisfying, perversely, than “having”? So is it possible that withholding some of what we think we want—or even need—is part of a larger design to get us something that will satisfy that “thirst” in a deeper way?
Discuss.
NOTE: So far, every one of my “Weekend Words” has been illustrated with a picture I took myself, and I’m curious about how long I can keep that up. This particular one was taken from my uncle’s jeep in the dunes of Arroyo Grande, California—just out of sight of the ocean. My uncle has been negotiating those piles of sand in dune buggies for decades.
(Cross-posted at The Conservatory.)
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Stunning picture. Am discombobulated by rush to get house ready for kids’ arrival home from school for Thanksgiving and usual intra-kiddie explosions and adjudicating disputes (about territory re-establishment) upon their arrival…
The God-shaped hole, thirst, whatever you call it…very aware of that right now. Much of my life I curl up on the couch cuddling the dog, an earthly approximation of that desire for shelter, comfort, unconditional love, that no human can ever offer for more than a few minutes without starting to talk and offer Constructive Criticism…
That business about the people outside the gates who are wicked and undeserving always makes me think that that is where I will be, or should be even if by some strange chance I get called to Heaven…reminds me of those Freshman Orientations where Deans would reassuringly tell us all “You are NOT an admissions mistake” but we still worried that we were. My friend Doctor X recently wrote about the repetition in the Mass that might give the impression of obsessive men doubting their salvation, freely given by grace. Thinking also about the allusion to washing and thinking about Lady Macbeth’s obsession with “Out, out, damned spot…” It’s interesting how sometimes traumatised people (and not just guilty, wicked ones) develop OCD and washing compulsions. My sister as a tiny child developed a washing compulsion and would wash her hands and hair repeatedly, saying “get all clean” over and over again, til her skin was red and raw. Nobody even noticed until a teacher noticed, because our mother was raving mad and carried off to the mental hospital and we were running wild on the farm. My life was no different, as I never spent time with my mom, but my sister had shadowed my mother all day every day, so she (I think) started out washing as part of doing something she had been taught to do, to please a parent, not be a burden, etc. And compulsions develop from great fears.
I do think that we imperfect human being struggle more when we have a goal than when we have attained it. ALso, we tend not to STAY grateful for very long. We appreciate God’s gifts, but other preoccupations supercede our gratitude. So wanting GOd, needing God, being thirsty, probably motivate us more than being fully satisfied, etc.
Enough rambling. TIme to go do the dishes to atone for my many sins.
Revelation.
I saw a Jeopardy contestant lose out because of that surplus “s”.