Les Ferguson Jr.・09/30/19

True Confession #1: I did not sleep at a Holiday Inn Expresslast night or the night before or at any time I can really remember! That meansI cannot claim to be an expert about anything.

Except brokenness.

I get brokenness.

I get brokenness as the result of my own stupidity.

I get brokenness from my accumulated pain, heartache, andgrief.

In that sense at least, there was never any reason for me tosleep at a Holiday Inn Express. Because, as it turns out, I own brokenness (I’mnot so jaded or self-impressed to think I’m the only shareholder in this conglomerate).In fact, we both know there are as many different ways to be broken as thereare broken people.

We’ll come back to brokenness momentarily, but in themeantime here’s True Confession #2: I have absolutely no idea why I signed onto write an article or post on The Book of Revelation.

Seriously.

I’m not the go-to-guy for advanced understanding of biblicallanguages. I’m not an expert on all the prevailing historical detail. So, forme to just pop out an insightful, accurate, and informative article on the Bookof Revelation? The true question has to be what was I thinking?

Revelation is one of those books that has spawnedinnumerable interpretations. From the solidly biblical to the fantasticalare-you kidding-me? From serious discussions of timelines and who was the RomanEmperor when it all took place to the meaning of locusts.

Yes, you read me correctly. Locusts. As in early predictionsof Apache Attack Helicopters.

Who knew?

And all of that before you get to the interpretations of agreat red dragon stalking a pregnant woman, souls under the altar, and angelspouring out Bowls of Wrath.

It would be remiss of me to forget the implanted microchipthat we’ll all have as the Mark of the Beast.

666 anyone?

Knowing this commitment and deadline was approaching alongwith the very sneaky suspicion that I had little to offer, I kept defaulting tothe silly. And goofy. We must not forget goofy.

What is that you might ask? Somewhere back in the dimrecesses of time, I learned a song at Sardis Lake Christian Camp ripped rightout of Revelation.

Revelation 21:8 to be exact and the song lyrics went likethis:

Revelation
Revelation
21:8
21:8
Liars go to hell
Liars go to hell
Burn, burn, burn
Burn, burn, burn…

Being the stellar theologian that I am, I’m sure the wholepurpose of this particular verse immortalized in song was to excoriate allliars.

Burn, burn, burn!

Not.

But frankly, that’s quite depressing. In my brokenness, I’vetold more than my share of lies. I have allowed myself to live deceptively. Accordingly,self-deception has been a double-edged sword: it has been both the mark of mybrokenness and a source of it. And while we laugh or snicker at the goofinessof that little ditty, there is an element of pain and sorrow securely attached.

As I work my way through this, as I wrestle with who I am,where I’ve been, Revelation confronts me with a balm for my soul, but not justmy own.

Broken people (no matter the reason why) need hope and thislast exclamation point to the canon of scripture is serious hope! Whenyou get past the apocalyptic language, when you move beyond the imagery, Revelationis a story of redemption, restoration, and reconciliation. It’s the story ofheaven coming down. It is the broken being remade anew in the presence ofImmanuel, God with us!

And maybe, just maybe, the reason I latched on to thisparticular topic with this particular issue is simpler than I have been want tounderstand. I own in some respects a realized hope even now. But I long forthat day when hope is revealed in its entirety.

Who doesn’t need hope?

“He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am comingsoon.”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20 CSB17)

Yours with hope for a blessed future indeed!

Les Ferguson, Jr.
Oxford, MS