The Christ of the Apocalypse: Talk 5

 In these talks based on my book The Christ of the Apocalypse: Contemplating the Faces of Jesus in the Book of Revelation, I focus on the portrait of Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation. St. John offers us a message of hope in difficult times, and his language is rich and symbolic: • How do we interpret the Apocalypse? • Do we interpret St. John literally? • Is the Apocalypse about the end of the world? • Or is it about the beginning of a new creation? Images that have captured the imagination include: the Four Horsemen, the Antichrist, the Number of the Beast, and the Battle of Armageddon. Yet the basic facts about the Book often go unnoticed: that the Apocalypse is – from start to finish – a Revelation of Jesus Christ, who will return in glory at the end of time to usher in a new heaven and a new earth. Finally, I offer some reflections on the relevance of John’s message of hope in our postmodern, post-truth world and post-human world. With the rise of artificial intelligence, and as the universe gives way to the metaverse, John calls us to give brave witness to the truth of the Gospel and so begin now to become a new creation in Christ. - Monsignor A. Robert Nusca OVERVIEW: Introduction to the Talks Talk 1: The Apocalypse of John: A Message of Hope in Difficult Times Talk 2: The Faces of Jesus in the Gospels: The Portraits of Jesus that Emerge in the Four Gospels Talk 3: The Faces of Christ: Jesus in the Book of Revelation Talk 4: Jesus Walks among the Seven Churches: Christ as Glorified Angel Talk 5: The Visions of the Lamb of God: We Examine the Image of the Slain Lion/Lamb of God. Talk 6: The Divine Warrior-The Rider on a White Horse: Christ Returns in Judgement & Glory at the End of Time. Talk 7: A Fourth Face: The Faithful Transformed by God’s Grace Talk 8: The Promises to the Victors: What does Jesus Promise to those who give Faithful Witness to the Gospel? Epilogue: The New Jerusalem: John's Message for us Today! Quotes referenced in these talks, can be found here https://arnusca.substack.com/p/references-for-the-faces-of-jesus To sign up for free to Msgr. Nusca's website, please see arnusca.substack.com to receive ongoing articles as they are published. 

Transcript

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Through the kindness of our donors, the National Catholic Broadcasting Council presents Let Us Learn Together. Please join Monsignor Robert Nuska for The Christ of the Apocalypse. Talk 5. The Visions of the Lamb of God. After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open, and the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this. At once I was in the Spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne.

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Having considered St. John's descriptions of the angelic Jesus who walks amid the churches of Asia Minor and speaks to them in chapters 1 to 3, and chapter 5, a second face of Christ emerges. John now draws our focus from the mystery of the Christ who walks beside us on our journey through this world and raises our sights upward to heaven. In this new revelation, we're led to contemplate Jesus, the all-powerful Lord and King of the universe, who reigns in heaven. Prior to describing the lion lamb of God, as chapter 4 begins, John tells us once again that he is in the Spirit and sees an open door into heaven, as he goes on to describe God the Father, who's surrounded by the heavenly host or heavenly council of angels. John describes many details which, together with the songs of the angels who worship God, show us that, as one scholar observes, if we are to know God at all, we must know Him as the deepest of mysteries, a mystery to be explored only through the humility of worship.

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Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne, and the living creatures and the elders. They numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, Worthy is the lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth, and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them singing, To the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell and worshiped. Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, Come.

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Having invited the audience to focus first upon the mystery of God the Father in chapter four, the second face of Christ emerges beginning in chapter five, as John describes the various choirs of angels that surround God's throne, the four living creatures and the 24 elders. These circles of worshiping angels will expand further in concentric fashion in chapter 5, with the myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands of angels. Eventually, every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth will add their voices to the growing chorus of the praises of God and the Lamb. As mentioned in an earlier talk, John invites the faithful on earth to join their voices to those of the angels in prayer and the worship of God and the Lamb. When we arrive at the appearance of the Lamb of God in chapter 5, interestingly, John draws our attention first to the mysterious scroll with seven seals that is in the right hand of God. As always, the book symbolism is difficult to interpret, and so questions arise.

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St.

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Gregory the Great comments that the scroll is a symbol of sacred scripture, as only our Lord could open up the hidden meanings of the sacred word of God. And the scroll is sealed because, as John tells us, nowhere in heaven and earth or under the earth has anyone been found worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. No angel, no prophet, priest, king, or hero from the past. Only the lamb who was slain for the life of the world. Although described as having been slain, the seven horns clearly tell us that Christ is all-powerful. For the slain lamb of God is at the same time called the lion of the tribe of Judah. John goes on to tell us that the seven eyes of this lion lamb are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. The slain lamb who rules with the Father in heaven is not only all-powerful, but is all-knowing. Chapter 5 concludes with John's emphasis upon the worthiness of the Lamb to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing, not only from the angels who are closest to God, but from every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all therein. All of creation unites in the worship of God and the Lamb. The worthiness of Christ is further emphasized by John's statement that the sealed scroll is taken by the Lamb, not given to him by God. No action of God is described, nor is one implied. The Lamb goes on to open the seals of the mysterious scroll in chapter six, as the unsealing of the scroll will now set into motion the various scenes of approaching judgment that will be described beginning in chapter six. The Lamb proves to be the all-powerful, all-knowing, worthy lion, lamb of God, and Lord of history, who sets into motion the events that precede the arrival of the new creation, symbolized in the New Jerusalem. John's reflections upon God and the Lion Lamb then serve to expand our world as they lead us to reflect upon one church of angels and human beings. Already now, in and through their praise, worship, and adoration of God and Christ in the Spirit, the church on earth is invited to stand together with the angels in a renewed creation within the sacred time and space of the gathered worship assembly, especially during our celebration of the Eucharist. John encourages us to begin right now to prepare spiritually for our own passage to the heavenly homeland as we pray for the grace of the purification of our own spiritual vision, clouded by sinfulness. And so the need for a renewed life of prayer, of fasting, almsgiving, the regular reception of the Eucharist, meditation and contemplation, and consecration to God through the intercession of Mary. Let us join our voices to those of the angels and every creature described in Revelation chapter 5.

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Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing, and to the one who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever. Amen.