Revelation and Humble Imagination Conversion

One of the things I appreciate about John the Seer is his humility. He is through and through a preacher--writing and confronting the church of his day; using images to get people to think outside the box; telling and reorienting contemporary and classical myths to draw his readers into his message; reusing Scripture to interpret his own world. Yet in the midst of this, he is humble.

After his horrific language and description of empire, Rome, Nero, etc. John describes the Roman empire as a woman sitting on a scarlet beast (close to the same colour as the dragon, but using 'royal' tones), wearing purple and scarlet (royal colours), "glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls" (Rev. 17:4). The description is meant to draw comparison to the woman in the desert, representing Israel and God's people, who flees from the dragon, rather than riding it, and who is true royalty because her Son is the King (chapter 12). But in spite of this beautiful description, John reveals this latter woman's true identity (written on her forehead, where the 'mark' of the beast is): "Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes" (v. 5). She is neither royal nor beautiful; she is Mother of Prostitutes. I cannot imagine a more debasing description. Yet, John records, "When I saw her, I was greatly astonished" (v. 6). John himself is taken aback by the misleading beauty of the woman.

The angel responds to him, "Why are you astonished?" The angel's emphasis can only be on one word here. It cannot be on "Why," because that is the very nature of deception--that which is fake is put forth as being real; it cannot be on "astonished," because the description has revealed the true nature of the woman--he is astonished because she is not as she appears. It must, therefore, be on "you." "Why are you astonished?" In other words, "You should have known! You should have gotten it!" But John lets us in on his own shortcomings and lack of Christianized imagination. The angel confirms this interpretation by saying, "The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written inte book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come" (v. 8). They are astonished because this beast comes from the abyss and goes to destruction, yet parodies God [consider the description of "he once was, now is not, and yet will come," to "who was, who is, who is to come" (1:8)]. They are astonished because the beast is not who they thought he was; he does not reign eternally. The characteristic of astonishment is for those who do not see the world rightly. And John includes himself in this group.

But, why is John astonished? Because evil is alluring; power is enticing; false beauty comes in many forms. John shows us his own shortcomings; he, too, is astonished that the woman, in spite of her dazzling beauty, is the Mother of prostitutes. He is much like his readers--or, as John thinks of them, brothers/sisters and companions (1:9). Perhaps it was this astonishment, previously hidden in shame but now revealed, that inspired this work; perhaps it this humility that confirmed to God that he could entrust John with this revelation. Perhaps preachers can admit their own amazement at the world's allure even when they preach; perhaps the preacher's imagination is as much under the tutellage of the word as those of his/her hearers.