Revelation 19 / Wedding of the Lamb
A Vision & A Future
In Revelation 19, this marriage metaphor reflects the union of heaven and earth—a relationship marked not by power or control, but by mutual love symbolized by marriage. The great Beast —which has seduced people from the life that God has intended for humanity, has been defeated. The church, now, stands as a bride, waiting and preparing, while the corrupt system of Babylon, represented as a prostitute, offers false promises that enslave and destroy. But Babylon’s end is certain, and the wedding celebration of the Lamb—Christ—ushers in a new vision of flourishing. We are moving towards the end; Heaven coming down to earth, the very thing we pray for every week when we recite The Lords Prayer.
Revelation 19:6-9
“Hallelujah!For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
Control vs. Resonance
Our modern world often pursues control—over resources, people, and outcomes. Modernity promised a future of unity and peace brought about by human enginuety, but has led to division and frustration. Sociologist Hartmut Rosa argues that we are in a crisis because we tried to control everything, and as a result, lost the ability to resonate with the world and each other.
In modernity, we envisioned a future in which everything could be seen, accessed, and put to use in the service of human flourishing has fallen by the wayside, exposed as impotent. Now, with the societal abandonment of religion first, and now the loss of faith in reason and technology, hopelessness is once again settling in, and the deep societal need for spiritual resonance is becoming more apparent. We need more than control; more than reason; more than innovation. We need connection, to both creation and it’s creator.
In relationships, control collapses connection. True harmony comes when we listen and engage with others, respecting limits and nurturing beauty within those boundaries.
Revelation’s vision points to this kind of resonance: a relationship with God, creation, and each other, rooted in the power of the Lamb to heal and restore. The church is called to embody this now—loving people in ways that draw out love in them, participating in creation without exploitation, and living in relationship rather than control.
The Communion Table as a Vision of Resonance
At its heart, the church is a community of shared presence and mutual care. The communion table symbolizes this beautifully—it’s where we gather to be present with God and one another, sharing life, joy, and love. This kind of resonance—a stirring of love in each other—guides us toward the future God envisions: a world of peace, justice, and flourishing relationships.
The body of Christ is called to walk with people, bearing witness to their journeys and stirring up goodness along the way. This is the wedding of the Lamb—a future shaped by love, which is the ultimate power of God.
Discussion Questions:
1) Where has your desire to control someone/something gotten in the way of your relationship with it?
2) What does resonance look like in our relationships with (1) creation, (2) with your faith, (3) with your family/spouse/relationships?
3) How has someone elses attempts to control you or someone you know damaged that relationship?
4) Discuss the limits of love in relationship. How can we love people within their the limits of their own intricacies/idosyncracies in a way that opens space for growth?
5) Discuss how the limits and boundaries of love and relationship benefit the cultivation of beauty and flourishing, rather than prohibit them.