(John the Seer, is a church leader in troubled times. At odds with the surrounding culture, not fitting in easily with society, and on the wrong side of a number of issues with the government of the day, the church of the day is not sure of its future. John himself has been exiled by the government to the island of Patmos to try to shut him up, and it is there he receives a grand, intense vision of God not being defeated, the forces of evil falling and failing, and the kingdom of God coming on Earth.
As part of the vision, in Rev 7:1-8, he sees 144,000 people of Israel -- 12,000 of each tribe, gathered around the throne of God, praising the coming of the kingdom. In other words, the known people of God -- the covenant community, will be complete -- will not be undone, no matter what may come.
And then ... in Rev 7:9-17, he sees something even greater -- a vast, innumerable multitude of all tribes, nations, tongues and peoples also gathered there ... also praising ... also celebrating and sharing in the kingdom of God on Earth ... also part of the holy company of God on the face of the Earth.)
Sometimes, when we look around us -- at the numbers on Sunday, at the aging (and amalgamating and closing) of churches, at the problems being faced by the United Church, at the marginalization of the church and of Christianity in Canadian society -- do we fear we may be a dying breed? That the end of the road is near, in a way that the evangelists do not usually mean it?
Or is there still (and always) hope? Are there more than we realize? Is the kingdom of God stronger than we imagine? Are there more saints among and around and beyond us than we usually count? Or see?
Who are the saints today? What do they look like? What do they do?
And are there lots of them?
Or just a scattered few?
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