And another sign was seen in heaven: a great, fiery red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven crowns. His tail dragged down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when her child was born he might eat it up. Rev. 12:3, 4.
A strange-looking animal does extraordinary things here. At first glance, such stories seem totally out of touch with today's world. But that is not really the case. Take the Disney cartoon movie The Lion King, for example. Like Revelation, it appears to be a simple animal story at first glance. But it is much more. It is actually a parable about the way people and groups of people interact with each other. Furthermore, it is about taking risks, developing relationships, avoiding conflict, and confronting issues that make a difference on everyday life.
But The Lion King is even more than a sociological treatise in disguise. It derives from an African version of apocalypse. The story involves the ruin and restoration of a paradise wherein all function in happiness and prosperity. The Lion King tells about an evil that arises from a dark place at the edge of paradise. And it is about the hope for the future that can result when a redeemer figure seizes their destiny with courage.
That's what makes the book of Revelation so powerful. Although it reads like an animal story (Rev. 11:7; 12; 13; 17), it's not really about animals. It is about people and their relationships, about interactions among groups of people--both good and evil--and how the course of human history will turn out. In other words, it is about the fundamental issues we all wrestle with from day to day.
Movies tend to be most successful when they intersect with the basic struggles, conflicts, and tensions within society's popular myths and fears. Such movies as The Lion King show that apocalyptic genre is as popular today as it was when John wrote the book of Revelation. The credibility of apocalyptic movies depends on whether their analysis of society and the human condition is believable. The same is true of ancient apocalypses.
No one knows whether anyone will remember The Lion King 100 years from now. But the book of Revelation has spoken powerfully for almost 2,000 years. It helps us understand both ourselves and the situation of the whole human race. Mirroring reality in a way that bypasses our psychological and emotional defense mechanisms, it strikes home with powerful force where we least expect it. And it helps us see the self-deception that lurks within each one of us.
Lord, give me eyes to see the truth about myself. May Your presence tame the dragon that lurks within me.
A strange-looking animal does extraordinary things here. At first glance, such stories seem totally out of touch with today's world. But that is not really the case. Take the Disney cartoon movie The Lion King, for example. Like Revelation, it appears to be a simple animal story at first glance. But it is much more. It is actually a parable about the way people and groups of people interact with each other. Furthermore, it is about taking risks, developing relationships, avoiding conflict, and confronting issues that make a difference on everyday life.
But The Lion King is even more than a sociological treatise in disguise. It derives from an African version of apocalypse. The story involves the ruin and restoration of a paradise wherein all function in happiness and prosperity. The Lion King tells about an evil that arises from a dark place at the edge of paradise. And it is about the hope for the future that can result when a redeemer figure seizes their destiny with courage.
That's what makes the book of Revelation so powerful. Although it reads like an animal story (Rev. 11:7; 12; 13; 17), it's not really about animals. It is about people and their relationships, about interactions among groups of people--both good and evil--and how the course of human history will turn out. In other words, it is about the fundamental issues we all wrestle with from day to day.
Movies tend to be most successful when they intersect with the basic struggles, conflicts, and tensions within society's popular myths and fears. Such movies as The Lion King show that apocalyptic genre is as popular today as it was when John wrote the book of Revelation. The credibility of apocalyptic movies depends on whether their analysis of society and the human condition is believable. The same is true of ancient apocalypses.
No one knows whether anyone will remember The Lion King 100 years from now. But the book of Revelation has spoken powerfully for almost 2,000 years. It helps us understand both ourselves and the situation of the whole human race. Mirroring reality in a way that bypasses our psychological and emotional defense mechanisms, it strikes home with powerful force where we least expect it. And it helps us see the self-deception that lurks within each one of us.
Lord, give me eyes to see the truth about myself. May Your presence tame the dragon that lurks within me.
RSS Feed
