The Book of Revelation Is About...Works! Part 2: The message to the Seven Churches
The Book of Revelation is about "works." To be more precise, the Book of Revelation is about how works are a condition for journeying successfully through the wilderness of Babylon (Revelation 17-18) into the Promised Land of the New Jerusalem/New Garden (Revelation 21-22). We get a glimpse of the importance of the work that disciples of Jesus are called to by attending to two images of Jesus in the opening chapter. Two Orienting Visions of Jesus In Revelation 1:5-6, we see that the accomplishments of Jesus are described after the pattern of Exodus, that paradigmatic event that demonstrated YHWH's power to deliver his people. In John's description, the death of Jesus functions like the blood of the Passover, liberating (literally "loosing" or "unbinding") God's people from the tyranny of sin. Just like the first exodus, this liberation comes with a responsibility, work to do: the work of being priests to the God and Father of Jesus Christ.