Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, August 15, 2025
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
“The use of cosmic convulsions to describe social and political upheaval is well established in biblical prophecy… Precisely what is denoted by the details of this highly colorful language is difficult to determine.” (Metzger, p.59-60)
Jesus himself used similar language when talking about “The Day of the Lord”—that time when God will show up and fix everything once and for all (and it will probably be terrifying and painful). What this tells me is that social and political upheaval is nothing new. These great “cosmic convulsions” John writes of in Revelation are happening right now as we bear witness to the chaos in Washington D.C., the increasing nationalism and violence throughout the world, and the escalating ravages of climate change (it is now just par for the course that we have days (like today as I write this) in Minneapolis were the air quality is dangerous due to wildfires burning elsewhere—and this is absolutely new in the last few years, so it’s clearly an outcome of the climate crisis).
Meanwhile we cannot fall into despair. We have to know that these pains and trials will pass at some point, whether we are around to witness it or not. We have to trust that no matter what happens it will be “okay” in the end, even if we have zero idea what that might look like.
Gracious God, relieve me of despair. Reveal your will for me today and give me the power to carry it out for the sake of others and the world. Amen.
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Metzger, Bruce M. Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1993.
