December 20

I  read recently from Parker Palmer these poignant words:

The root meaning of apocalypse (or Revelation as translated in English) is to uncover, to reveal. So apocalyptic language is simply another way of referring to the contemplative process in which illusion is stripped away and reality revealed.

Whether Palmer had Revelation 12 in mind or not, those woodcarvings have stripped away my vision of reality and caused me to do a lot of contemplating about heaven and earth, good and evil, birth and death. In fact, I awoke this morning with the strong desire to further reflect and gaze upon this third picture from Revelation 12, and so I made my way to the art store to have another peek.

As I looked at this amazing piece of art, I noticed how next to the reigning King-Jesus in heaven, in the top right hand side of the painting, there was a battle, a war in heaven. It was as if the birth and ascension of the King caused the war. Michael, the archangel, and his angels attacked the Red Dragon and his minions. And while the ferocious Red Dragon and his host fought back, it was no match. This etching portrayed the Dragon falling to earth. And as he fell, I noticed that the Dragon costume was just a disguise.

That is, this carving showed me that the Red Dragon was none other than the ancient Serpent of Genesis 3, the deceiver of the whole word, receiving the long-awaited disbarring from the heavenly court. That is, this was the Devil (that’s the Hebrew word for Accuser), the Satan (that’s Greek for Slanderer) being violently expelled from the heavenly court. It was a picture so incredible and powerful, it made me want to shout. I almost thought I could hear a heavenly chorus singing:

Now has come the salvation,
And the power,
And the kingdom of our God
And the authority of his Christ.

For the accuser of our brothers
Has been thrown down,
Who accuses them day and night
Before our God.

But they have conquered him
By the blood of the Lamb
And the word of his testimony
For they did not cling to life even
In the face of death.

Rejoice then, you heavens
And those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
For the Devil has come down to you
With great anger
Because he knows that his time is short. (Revelation 12:10-12)

Tonight Lisa and I experienced something that is hard to put into words as we went to the Rudolfinum, Prague’s finest music hall, to listen to Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” Antonin Dvorak, recognized here and around the world for his musical genius, wrote his “New World” symphony in the late 1890’s.  Though I’m no composer, certainly no Dvorak, one of the thoughts that kept running through my mind tonight was that someone needs to put the song from Revelation 12 to music. After all, it is indeed an even grander “new world” than the one Dvorak gloriously portrayed. Or could this be the “new world” Dvorak was thinking?

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