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Revelation 19:7 – The Parable of Persistent Love
When I was a young man, I wanted to begin a relationship with a certain young woman. And although she did not know me, I went knocking on her door and said, “I love you.” Well, that didn’t work. She slammed the door in my face. Relationships can be so confusing.
Time for a new strategy. I went back about a week later, knocked on her door again and said, “I love you. And I command you to love me!” The door slammed in my face once again, surprisingly even harder.
OK, time for another new strategy. A third time I went back about week later, knocked on the door and said, “I love you. And I command you to love me back! But before we can begin a relationship, here’s a list of things that you need to change in your life.” The door echoed that all too familiar slamming sound once again. I can’t believe how ungrateful she is. After all, I even took the time to list all of her faults for her. Wasn’t that thoughtful of me? I can’t have someone in my life that is not as perfect as me!
Once again, I formulated my strategy. So about a week later, I went back, knocked on her door and said, “I love you. I command you to love me! Here’s a list of your faults. And if you agree to change, I will let you marry me.” Guess what happened next!
I cannot fathom why this young woman would not love me. I’m a nice guy, after all. I would be good to her, give her whatever she needed, and would love her with all my heart. In fact, I would do anything for her.
And believe me, this young woman needed someone to love her. She was ugly, poor, couldn’t take care of herself, and had a horrible reputation. If I were to list her faults, failures, and sins, it would cause you to blush in embarrassment. Let’s just say that she was not as pure as the new fallen snow.
Now before any of you think I am crazy or insane – and maybe you are thinking, “Too late!” – let’s consider what I just said a parable, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear the parable of the rejected suitor.
May I suggest to you that we – all of us – are the ugly, poor, young woman who couldn’t take care of herself and had a horrible reputation? For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23). Could I suggest to you that if God were to list our faults, failures, and sins, it should cause us to blush in embarrassment? May I suggest that God took the unorthodox role of a young suitor knocking on our door, telling us that He loves us, commanding us to love Him, requiring us to correct our faults, so that we as a church can become the bride of Christ?
Romans 5:6-8 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
When we turn the familiar Biblical story on its head into an unorthodox story about me and a woman, we can see how strange this love is that God has for us. How strange it is to be commanded to love in return – the greatest command. How strange to be commanded to love others because someone else – God – loves us – the second greatest command. Christianity is a love story. A very unorthodox love story.
Let’s state the already accepted – God loves us and commands us to love Him. He requires us to change our lives, and Jesus takes the church as His bride even though we are spiritually ugly, spiritually poor, spiritually cannot take care of ourselves, and spiritually have a horrible reputation. But looking at the obvious through the analogy of how we normally think of love, relationships and marriage, we see the paradox of the kind of love that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have for us. It is not a normal, human kind of love. It is a love that crucifies itself. It is a supernatural love. It is a love that, contrary to human love, can be commanded. It is not a feeling; it is a choice that is often contrary to feelings. And because it can be commanded, it can overcome all feelings, fears, faults and failures. I know because God’s love overcame all of mine.
Has God said He loves us? 1 John 4:19 – We love, because He first loved us.
Has God commanded us to love Him? Matthew 22:37 – And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
Has God commanded us to love others? Matthew 22:39-40 – “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ (40) “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Has God required us to change our lives because He is perfect? Acts 3:19 – “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
Does the Bible depict the church as the bride of Christ? Revelation 19:7 – “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
Does the Bible describe Jesus as knocking on our door? Revelation 3:19-20 -‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. (20) ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
I cannot fathom why anyone would not love God, for He has first loved us. He has proved His love; and would and has done anything for us that we need – even though He is perfect and we are not.
And believe me, we all need God to love us. When we hear Jesus knocking on the door, expressing His love you and me, let us all open the door to God’s love and obey the command to love God, and to love others.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear the parable of persistent love.
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