February 2022

'I am … the bright morning star' Revelation 22.16

Many people struggle with the images found in the book of Revelation, despite the popularity of Sci-fi and our familiarity with the wonders of modern film animation. However, despite its challenges, Revelation can help our understanding of the evil influences which surround us and the complexity of worldly political systems and how we might respond to all of those. Through a series of unfolding warnings and revelations, by the end of the book we are finally brought to a conclusion where we can see our redemption not only as a new beginning but more importantly, with hope.

As the book unfolds, we learn that Jesus is both that new beginning and the ending. Through his suffering and death he has won for us the victory and in him heaven and earth again can finally meet. God’s plans for the communities which carry his name and allegiance will stretch out from the now, in the present moment and on into the future, into all-time which ultimately belongs to him.

Look to me, to see “a new beginning”, says the Lord, “Come, drink and never thirst again!” Jesus himself is the long promised Messiah who will rescue, sustain and restore Israel, the Messiah whom everyone has waited for.

After the darkness of night and the struggle with evil, we are promised that a new dawn will break. Our saying speaks to this understanding when the Lord says: “I am coming soon, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end ... I am David’s root and offspring; I am the bright morning star!”, truly a symbol of hope and a future given to us in Christ Jesus.