With a smile on my face and tears in my eyes, I read the final line in Scripture and sighed as the sermon concluded. It’s a bit of a running joke within my small group: For whatever reason, God has wanted me in the book of Revelation.
A year and a half ago, with the help of a study book, I began to slowly go through Revelation one chapter at a time. A handful of weeks after turning the last page, my Bible study group decided to dig deep into that very same letter. Most of the group, based on what they had previously heard, approached Revelation with fear, confusion, and overwhelm. Several months later, each and every one of us went around the circle talking about how somewhere along the way, our overwhelm and fear turned to overwhelming hope.
A month later, as our church came to the end of studying Philippians, our pastor announced we would begin walking through Revelation the following week. Every head in the row spun to look at me as our group held back laughter. “I guess God wants you here a little longer,” a friend whispered.
The sermon series was planned long before a pandemic, but it’s a funny thing to study Revelation in 2020. A year and a half later, though, after hours of studying on my own, with a small group, and every Sunday at church, there are two truths I want you to know:
1. The Author is good.
2. One day, the sea will be no more.
In ancient times, expanses of water were tied to darkness and chaos. The sea was believed to be where evil had a foothold. If you read Scripture through that lens, you’ll be amazed at how God’s goodness is woven through.
The Red Sea is split for the Israelites to walk through. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River. Twice, the disciples, many of whom grew up on the water as fishermen, found themselves in the middle of the Sea of Galilee as a storm raged around them. They knew the Sea of Galilee intimately, and they were terrified.
In one storm, Jesus is sleeping — completely at peace as the sea rages. He isn’t concerned, frightened, or unsure. When He speaks, the waters still. The waves and the wind know His voice. In another, Jesus comes in the middle of the storm, walking on the swelling waves that threaten to overtake.
At the very beginning of Genesis, the Spirit hovers over the waters. In Revelation, the sea will be no more. And all throughout, God is in control. He is the answer, the Way, the anchor. He parts the waters, and He walks upon them. With one word, the waves still. The sound of His voice is enough for the created knows its Creator.
Friend, the sea has an end date. Chaos will once and for all be calmed because the Prince of Peace gets the final say. A few verses after the beautiful promise in 21:1, Revelation offers this hope:
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.
Revelation 21:5-6 (NLT)
There will still be water, but there will be no reason to fear because like the One who is Living Water (John 4 and John 7), it will not take life or bring chaos. It will give life to those who are thirsty.
As we near the end of 2020, a year marked for many by a global pandemic, great losses, strained relationships, and overwhelming fear, I’m all the more grateful for the hope of Advent.
It takes half a second to flip from Malachi to Matthew in the Bible, but 400 years pass between the two. Four hundred years from the last time the people of God heard Him speak. Similar to the feelings that rose to the surface as we opened Revelation many months ago, I imagine 400 years of silence felt like confusion, doubt, and fear.
But they held onto hope. They continued to believe. They remembered His words, one generation testifying of His faithfulness to the next.
And then the page turned, for the promise-maker in Malachi is the promise-keeper in Matthew.
We get to tell the story in this in-between, on this page marked 2020, confident that the Author is good all the way through.
May we be a people who wait well, who cling to hope when the night is long, who remember and believe that chaos will one day be calmed once and for all.
Take heart! The Word gets the final word. Everything sad will come untrue for Light has come, Love has won, and all is being made new.
One day, the sea will be no more. Hallelujah!
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Kaitlyn,
About the time the pandemic began, the Lord turned my heart back to Revelation and the prophetic books of the Bible (roughly 30% of the Bible is prophecy). Amazingly, much of what was prophecied has taken place and one could argue that we are coming down the homestretch. Revelation used to give me the heebie-jeebies, but not anymore. Prophecy in scripture is meant to give the believer hope that this world is not the end and fear and chaos do not get the last word…God does, and His Word is good. We are blessed in the reading of Revelation, even if we don’t grasp all the symbolism. I take heart and this Advent, I especially look forward to Jesus coming again – once and for all! Great post!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Wynette Mcdaniel says
What was the study book you mentioned
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Hi Wynette! I used the She Reads Truth Revelation Study Book – https://shereadstruth.com/plans/revelation/. If you google “she reads truth revelation” you can find some of the devotionals for free on their site… and they also have a reading plan on their app (cheaper than buying the book).
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’m with you on the HOPE found there! Truly, it’s amazing how very hope-full Revelation is.
Jaime says
“We get to tell the story in this in-between, on this page marked 2020, confident that the Author is good all the way through.“
Loved this. Thank you.
Mary Geisen says
Amen and Hallelujah! Beautiful thoughts, Kaitlyn. God’s story is the best story.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Amen and Hallelujah! Exactly. 🙂
Irene says
This is wonderful! Thank you!
Cathy says
Thank you. I especially needed to be reminded of these words of hope today.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’m so glad it arrived in your inbox at just the right time, Cathy.
margueritecoutinho@yahoo.co.uk says
Beautifully written and presented, Kaitlyn. Thank you!
Stephanie says
Amen ❤️
Mary Castrovill says
Hopeful, wonderful post ! ” Everything sad will come untrue for Light has come”
reminded me of the verse where God says He will repay us for the years the locusts stole.
Blessings to Kaitlyn and all my sweet sisters in Christ.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’ve thought of that verse several times during 2020… a beautiful promise, isn’t it? Praise God, He keeps every promise He makes.
Agnes says
Wonderful words of encouragemnt and hope in these trying times. Thanks for sharing. God is GREAT and loves us with an everlasting love. How wonderful and glorious!!
Beth Williams says
Kaitlyn,
Great post!! Sometimes God wants to get our attention. He usually does that by repetition. I will see or hear things several times. A few years ago we had one of my pastor’s professors come down for a 5-part series on Revelation. Like you I came to enjoy rather than dread Revelations. In fact it made me realize what kind of Christian I wanted to be. Definitely not like Laodicea-neither hot nor cold. I have heard preacher state that much of prophecy is coming true. Like Bev I believe we may be in the end times. So much chaos & everyone doing what they want-like in Noah’s day. Praise God He is in control of this spinning universe. We have hope & a future. This Christmas let us remember Love has won & all is being made new.
Blessings 🙂
Melissa Ens says
Amen and amen. Love this. I was already getting ready to read Revelation this month and will be paying attention to this…
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’m sure I’ll end up writing more about it on social media / to my email list… it’s just chock full of so much goodness. I’m excited for you to dive in!