Revelation 1:1-2 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
Revelation 1:9-20 I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Throughout history, the language of Christian devotion—especially as expressed in hymns—has often been met with misunderstanding and even contempt by those outside the faith. The imagery and sentiments found in hymns, centering on themes such as the sacrificial love of Christ, are sometimes dismissed as overly sentimental or irrational by those who do not share the same spiritual convictions.
The world frequently responds with “ineffable scorn” to the customs and expressions of Christians whose faith revolves around the redemptive suffering of Christ. Hymns containing lines like “Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood / Shall never lose its power” are perceived as distasteful or even offensive. Terms such as “Lamb,” “bleeding Lamb,” “dying love,” and “fountain filled with blood” evoke a strong negative reaction, prompting accusations of absurdity and irrationality. For many, religion is acceptable only when it is “sober and decorous,” stripped of emotional language and vivid metaphors.
Yet, the language criticized by skeptics is deeply meaningful to those who embrace the Christian faith. These expressions, drawn from scripture and centuries of spiritual tradition, encapsulate profound truths about sacrifice, redemption, and divine love. The “dying Lamb” is not merely a poetic image—it is a reference to Christ, whose death is central to Christian belief. For believers, such language serves as a conduit for worship, gratitude, and personal devotion to the divine.
Consider the value of sacred language and the role it plays in both earthly worship and the vision of heavenly praise. While the world may scorn what it does not understand, the language of hymns and prayers carries a depth of meaning that is cherished by believers and is celebrated in the presence of God. Far from being irrational or absurd, these expressions connect worshippers to a tradition of adoration that spans both time and eternity. (Bowen)
