Finally: an accurate picture of the message of Revelation.

Still reeling from the Spirit-led, powerfully anointed on-stage conversation with Dr. John Christopher Thomas this morning, and getting ready to go back out for his lecture tonight.  It’s been a remarkable journey through Revelation.  If Bono was leading worship tonight, I wouldn’t be much more excited.

Chris mentioned at Little Rock this morning that given the visual nature of the apocalypse, some of the most compelling portrayals of Revelation have come not through commentaries or sermons but through art and music.  An interesting observation, especially on the heels of a small but important moment I had this weekend.  Tracey Rouse is our Executive Pastor, and her husband Nathan one of my best friends.  He rode with me to Ducktown, TN Friday to speak at a retreat for his brother Josh.  While there, Tracey sent a picture to his phone from their daughter’s storybook Bible.  Lucy, just about to turn 3, is also my goddaughter (and I’m super proud).  Tracey was reading the Bible with her, and came across this image in the section on Revelation.

You can laugh if you want but this picture made me cry.  I would love to have a print of it hanging in my office.  Through all the clutter of charts and graphs and general mayhem in literature on/about the Apocalypse, this simple picture captures the beauty, charm and simple reality of Revelation 21 with elegant simplicity: God’s kingdom is going to come down, everybody.  And it is very, very good news!

Behold–the message of the kingdom coming down: