The Positive Side of John’s Mistake

Toward the end of the book of Revelation the apostle John is overwhelmed by what he sees on two different occasions during his vision. The first occasion is in chapter 19, verse 10 when he fell at the feet of the angel who was speaking to him and John worshipped him. John knew better than to worship anyone or anything but God. Nevertheless, he was so moved by the wonder of what he was seeing that he just couldn’t help himself. We know he was wrong in what he did because the angel reprimanded him.

Yes, John was wrong in what he did but I’m glad that he did it because it provided the opportunity to bring clarity once again to “the main thing”, and remember, we are to keep the main thing the main thing, and what is the main thing? It’s the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The angel said, “don’t worship me”, “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." The book of Revelation’s primary function in the lives of those who read it is to reveal Jesus Christ. And prophecy in general? That’s its function as well. We can get caught up in the study of prophecy, as exciting and as intriguing as it all is, but if we don’t see Jesus we’ve wasted our time because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Now, what is the context of John’s mistake? It’s the marriage supper of the Lamb. John was overwhelmed at the sight of the church being served a meal in celebration of a wedding that by all rights should have never taken place! We’re all familiar with weddings that should have never occurred. “This guy just isn’t right for that girl”, “she’s too good for him” or “he’s too good for her”. The marriage that will be celebrated on the day spoken of by John in Revelation 19 is one of those weddings that should have never taken place because the Groom (Jesus) is too good for His bride (the church). And yet, there John is, in the midst of a vision that tells the future of the church and what does he see? It’s the church married to her Groom Jesus Christ. And we (the church)are seen, according to Ephesians 5:27, as a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. Does this promise from God’s Word overwhelm you with the thoughts of unworthiness and a need to fall down and worship? It did in John’s case. Yes, the object of his worship was wrong but the angel corrected that right away! And as a result of his correction being recorded for us in God’s holy and infallible Word we see the unworthiness of the sinner (that’s you and me) and the faithfulness of Christ in the picture of a perfect Husband committed to His imperfect wife and His willingness to be married to her for all eternity!