State of the Church - Politics | Revelation 4-5
There are moments when the chaos of the world feels overwhelming. When the forces of darkness seem to advance, when uncertainty gnaws at us, and when it feels like God has gone silent. But Revelation 4 and 5 give us a different view — God's view.
John invites us into the throne room of heaven itself:
"At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it..." (Revelation 4:2)
Surrounding this throne are flashes of lightning, peals of thunder, four living creatures covered in eyes, and twenty-four elders falling down in worship. It's not chaos — it's order. It's not despair — it's majesty. It's worship.
And standing at the center is the Lamb, looking as if it had been slain.
"The Lamb had 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 him who sat on the throne..." (Revelation 5:6-7)
At this moment, heaven erupts in praise:
"You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Revelation 5:9)
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)
Thousands upon thousands of angels encircle the throne, the living creatures and elders fall down, and every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea joins the chorus.
And John, through all this, is showing us: The Lamb is worthy to rule over all of history — not because He seized power but because He was slain, victorious through sacrifice.
Why Revelation Matters Today
Revelation is a specific type of biblical literature called "apocalypse."
Today, when we hear "apocalypse," we think zombies and destruction. But biblically, apocalypse simply means a "revealing" — pulling back the curtain to show God's perspective.
Scholar Richard Bauckham put it this way: Apocalypse answers the question:
"Why do the righteous suffer while the wicked flourish?"
When we live in this broken world, all we can often see is evil winning.
An apocalypse "zooms out" to give us the throne-room view — to remind us that God rules, even when it doesn't feel like it.
This perspective is crucial because in uncertainty, we are prone to idolatry.
When Uncertainty Leads to Idolatry
Remember the story from Exodus?
The Israelites walk through the Red Sea, rescued from Egypt — and yet, after a few days in the desert with no Moses in sight, they melt down their jewelry and make a golden calf to worship.
They had seen God split the sea... and still they grasped for something tangible when uncertainty crept in.
We are no different.
In seasons of political turmoil, cultural instability, or personal hardship, it’s tempting to grasp at whatever promises us a sense of control — power, safety, stability.
Today, many Christians have made partisan politics their golden calf.
We align ourselves so tightly with a political crew that we stop thinking critically. We forget our primary allegiance is not to a nation, a party, or a leader — it's to the Lamb.
When we cling to earthly power, we can slowly, almost imperceptibly, sacrifice our morality, our witness, and our souls.
But Revelation reminds us:
The powers of this world — even the ones that seem so dominant — are nothing compared to the power of God.
Look at history.
Can you name many Roman emperors? Probably not, unless you're a history buff.
Their empires felt unstoppable... and now they’re footnotes.
Only the throne of God endures.
Living as Countercultural People
It's important to say:
Being involved in politics matters.
Seeking justice matters.
Political parties may be necessary in our system.
But we must interact with them critically, humbly, and wisely.
As Justin Giboney from the AND Campaign says,
"If you can't name five or six things your political party is doing wrong, you need to go back to your Bible."
The danger isn't political involvement — it's uncritical political allegiance.
We also need to be aware of how we consume news.
The 24-hour news cycle often pushes us toward fear, outrage, and division — not wisdom.
And if we find ourselves hating those who disagree with us, we have lost the plot.
Jesus calls us to love, not to vilify.
He calls us to humility, not pride.
He calls us to remember who is actually on the throne.
Chaos Isn't New
I don't want to diminish the very real struggle people are feeling right now.
It does feel chaotic.
But can I gently remind you?
This is not unprecedented.
The early church lived under brutal persecution for 250 years after Jesus' resurrection.
John wrote Revelation not during a time of ease, but to people suffering real, physical persecution under Rome.
And Revelation wasn't just for them — it's for us.
It reminds us that uncertainty has always been part of the Christian story.
And through it all, God remains on the throne.
Take Heart
As you head into this week, meditate on these words from Jesus Himself:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:33)
You will have trouble.
But in Christ, you will have peace.
The throne is not empty.
The Lamb reigns.
Take heart.
