The way of imagination

       What is a good God to do?   Revelation chapter 5 presents us with two elements which are important for our understanding of divine judgment – the agent of this judgment as well as the response it elicits.   It’s important to note that, in the book of Revelation, “the One seated on the throne” doesn’t do much.   Rather, the divine will is enacted by “agents” of the Creator, whether they be angels, elders, “living creatures” or…a slaughtered Lamb.   In Revelation chapter 4, John is ushered into the heavenly throne room and in chapter 5, he sees that the One seated on the throne is holding a scroll in his right hand.   As we will soon discover, this seven-times-sealed scroll contains the 7-fold judgment of God which will be brought to bear on the earth three times over (chapters 6—16). [1]      No one in all creation is found who is “worthy to open the scroll”, i.e. to set in motion God’s judgment of the world – no one, that is, until the “Lion of Judah” is introduced to John as

  “…there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord     and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.” Then the twenty-four elders…worshiped God… “We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty… for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. …your wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name…and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Rev. 11.15-18)      What is a good God to do?   Can God judge the world without morally compromising himself?   Does it make moral sense for the Creator to “destroy those who destroy the earth” (cf. Rev. 11.18)?   Surely, destruction in and of itself is morally wrong, no?   Isn’t God “love” (cf. 1 Jn. 4.16-18)?   Doesn’t God always forgive wrongdoing?   Indeed, it often seems that in today’s Global North, (the Christian) God has become quite sentimental… [1]   Positive thinking – includ