The Revelation of St John is a 48" x 144" painting that consists of three 4' x 4' canvas panels that depict the Revelation story across all 22 chapters of the last book of the Bible.
Tell Me the Story!
The Center Panel: John on Patmos
The Center 4' x 4' section depicts the Apostle John as he received the letters from Jesus Christ to the 7 churches in the 7 cities depicted in the background. (Rev. Chapters 1-3)
John is depicted on the island of Patmos where he was exiled for years. At the time of the writing of the Book of Revelation, John was the last surviving disciple.
John is receiving the Book of letters to the 7 churches (Rev.1) There was a debate whether or not John received 7 books, or 7 letters that went into one single book. It was eventually agreed by most that he received one book of 7 letters, which I depicted here. These letters are often read today as we reflect on God's words to His Church, such as how He spoke to the church at Laodicea, to whom it was said, "You have lost your first love." I pray you and I never hear those words!
The Lord is described in Chapter 1 with hair white as snow, holding the keys of Death and Hades, standing amidst the lampstands holding the 7 stars (1:16) He is painted with hair like snow.
Chapter 1:16 describes 7 stars in the Lord's hand, which I depicted as an orb with stars etched into it.
Chapter 8:13 describes an eagle flying through mid-heaven.
Some of the 7 lampstands described in Rev. 1:12 and 13 are here. Some were behind the figure, so they aren't all visible.
There are many angels with trumpets in 2 of the panels. (Rev. 8) Most of these angels didn't have good news. There is one angel announcing the coming of the Lord, which is really good news, so I placed it here in the center panel (Rev. 11:15)
There is an angel with a book, and other angels accompanying him (Rev. 10)
Revelation Chapter 7:1 describes 4 Angels holding back the winds. This panel has 2 of those angels in the top corners, one in the left corner and one in the right corner. The other 2 angels, measured exactly like these, are in the upper corners of the 2 other panels.
I added two sheep just for their representation of the people of God as they are often referred to by Jesus. Many times He spoke of His sheep hearing His voice, and taught parables about the Good Shepherd, which He said in reference to Himself.
This center panel is 48 x 48", and is flanked by the other two panels of the same size. This was actually the first one I painted. Although each panel is a painting unto itself, they all connect together.
There are 2 Witnesses described in Chapter 11 who came preaching the Word of God. They were both killed because people didn't want to hear their message; but they rose to life again, shocking the world before they disappeared. They are painted walking into the panel on the left, The Tribulation Panel, wearing red robes, the color of their martyrdom.
The Left Panel: The Great Tribulation
This left panel of the Revelation of St. John depicts details of what is referred to as The Great Tribulation.
As I was studying to prepare for this composition, the troubling events listed one after the other seemed like a never-ending list of sadness. They were described without emotion, just a recounting of what St. John saw.
A book with seals in a hand extending from the throne of God is depicted in the Heavens Panel, at the far right of the Revelation painting. This left panel depicts what happens as those seals are opened. You can see the Four Horsemen coming down as they are described in Revelation Chapter 6. Each one of the horsemen had a particular kind of authority.
The first mentioned is the White Horse, whose rider had a crown, and went out conquering. (6:2) The second horse, the Red Horse, is then mentioned after the breaking of the next seal. The rider of the Red Horse, shown to John with a great sword in his hand, was given authority to make war and take peace from the earth. (6:4)
The third seal was broken, and a Black Horse came, with a rider who had a pair of scales in his hand, and famine broke out in the earth. (Rev 6:5-6)
There comes an Interlude after all this disaster, which is described in Chapter 7. Here St John saw the 4 angels holding back the winds, (the angels in the top corners of the painting) so that no wind blew on the earth or the seas. This Tribulation panel has 1 of those 4 angels holding back the winds in the top left corner. He is darker than the "Wind Angels" on the other top corners, and has golden eyes. These 4 angels were instructed not to harm the earth until God's people were sealed.
The “Second Angel” Rev 16:3 is pouring out a bowl of wrath that became blood.
Finally, the Seventh seal is opened to a half hour of total silence. (Rev 8) Then seven trumpets were given to 7 angels, 6 of them depicted in this Tribulation panel. The angel with the 7th trumpet is on the center panel announcing the coming reign of Jesus Christ.
Each of the first 6 angels blew trumpets, resulting in terrifying periods of fire, plagues, and death for many of the people of the earth. (Rev: 8-9)
As I was studying these difficult chapters, the question crossed my mind, why all this terror? Why all this loss of life? It was all so grievously sad for me to read.
Then I continued studying into Chapter 11 where Two Witnesses were given authority to preach God's word for 1260 days. It was at this point I understood. No one would listen to them. They were sent by God to give people a chance to turn their lives around. Instead, the Witnesses were killed while people celebrated. People didn't want God nor His Word.
The Two Witnesses shown in red robes are mostly depicted in the center panel. They continue to walk here where their feet can be seen at the edge of this panel.
The goat is a depiction of people who are away from God. God's people are often depicted as sheep, yet God will declare His word to all people in order that some might turn around and become part of His family. The invitation is open to each one of us to become a part of the family of God.
There is a woman, Israel, described in the 12th chapter, who gave birth to a male child, who is Jesus Christ. She stands with a moon beneath her feet, and is described as being clothed with the sun (12:1). I used the purest Cadmium Yellow for her dress to depict being clothed with the sun.
The woman hid under Gods care for 1260 days, because the red dragon, Satan, sought to kill her Child. The Archangel Michael is depicted warring with this red dragon, Satan, who has a frog in his mouth, one of 3, described as unclean spirits of demons performing signs. (Rev 16:13-14)
I have to say I enjoyed painting the dragon; particularly I enjoyed making the fangs and horns look like polished bone.
Chapter 13 describes two beasts, one coming up from the ground and one from the sea. The Beast from the sea spoke blasphemies against God, and yet people worshiped him. There is a depiction of the Beast from the Sea. The second Beast, this one from the earth, directed people to worship the first one, and all people were given a mark on their hands and forehead, known commonly as "the Mark of the Beast." There is also the depiction of the Beast from the Ground described in Chapter 13
The Lord is depicted on this panel as the Reaper, with a sickle and the Grapes of Wrath.
Jesus, the One we know as having suffered for the sake of saving the world, is in Revelation Chapter 14 as a Reaper at the harvest of the whole earth. An angel gathered grapes with another sickle that are referred to as Grapes of Wrath.
The one thing that gives hope in the midst of all these visions of St. John is what is still coming after all this. The Beasts who misled the people of earth with false signs and lies were doomed to what is called The Lake of Fire. Satan, depicted as the red dragon with horns, will be bound for 1000 years where he can create no harm until he is finally, eternally, destroyed.
No matter what distressing things we see in the world, God, the King of the Universe, the Ruler of all, the One with all power, wins. There will be no more darkness nor tears, because He has ordained it from the beginning, thus we have hope, no matter what we see now.
The Right Panel: The Heavens
In Chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation, 24 elders are described who fall down and worship the Lamb, Jesus. Jesus is before the Tree of Life, which bears 12 different kinds of fruits (22:2).
All the attention of these 24 crowned Elders is focused on the Lamb, Jesus, who is before the Throne of God, and the Tree of Life, which bears the 12 different fruits (22). The Lamb's Book of Life (20) is shown in the grass.
The 24 Elders are mentioned in Chapter 4:10, worshiping God before the Throne, with their golden crowns and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (5:8). I find it interesting that the Book of Revelation represents our prayers like incense that is held by God in golden bowls, seen here with the Elders. It would indicate that our prayers are never wasted. They are all remembered and kept.
This entire panel is devoted to worship in one form or another.
The Tree of Life is described with the 12 fruits, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves are for the healing of the nations (22:2).
The Lamb's Book of Life is mentioned again in Revelation 21:7. The verse says that no one who practices abomination and lying will ever come into the "heavenly city" called the New Jerusalem, but only those written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Most astonishing is that He invites us to be written in His Book of Life. This is not at all arbitrary. It comes to us as a powerful invitation by our Creator that we can sense to the very core of our being. How could we resist such grace?
Once again there is another angel in the corner with a raised hand as in the other panels. There were four of these angels "standing at the four corners of the earth," holding back the four winds (7:1). The other "Winds Angels" are in the other 2 sections of the painting.
One of the strangest things John saw was the four living creatures full of eyes all around and within, who each had 6 wings. Each of those creatures had different characteristics from the others; all worshipped God before His throne (4:6-8).
The first of those creatures was described to be like a lion. It can be seen in brown with the gold eyes and the lion paw. Another creature, the orange one, was described as being like a man (4:7). I distinguished it with human feet.
Another creature with all the eyes was described to be like a calf. I studied the eyes of a calf from a friend's farm in our area as a model for these eyes.
Lastly, another creature was described as being like an eagle (4:7). The calf-like creature has hooves when you look closely, and I painted eagle talons at the base of the the other, with eagle eyes.
A book with 7 seals is in a hand extended from the Throne of God (5:1). When those seals were opened, there was great destruction that came, which is painted into the Tribulation panel on the left side of the Revelation painting.
There was an angel with a golden censer (8:3), to whom was given much incense to add to the prayers of all the saints.
The Lamb's Book of Life is mentioned again in Revelation 21:7. The verse says that no one who practices abomination and lying will ever come into the "heavenly city" called the New Jerusalem, but only those written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Most astonishing is that He invites us to be written in His Book of Life. This is not at all arbitrary. It comes to us as a powerful invitation by our Creator that we can sense to the very core of our being. How could we resist such grace!
There is much spoken of the new heavens, and the "New Jerusalem" (21).
It is described with 12 kinds of precious foundation stones of various colors, with the glory of God illumining it, so there is no need of a sun or moon. Its light is the Lamb of God. "And the nations shall walk by its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it" (21:24). What a sight that will be!
The Throne is described with One sitting on it saying, "Behold I am making all things new" (21:5). The original Greek verb tense here is describing something that is happening continually, perpetually. All things being made new, always new, all the time, forever new.
As I was putting this composition together, I originally had a faint drawing of a figure and a throne. But I knew I couldn't paint a face there.
Instead, I wanted somehow to represent all the foundation stones, and the glory and honor of Chapter 21. So I turned this whole area into a glowing light like a sunrise, with a faint image of a parted sea, inviting us to come.
In Chapter 22, it says there shall no longer be any night (22:5), and there shall be no need of a lamp, because the Lord God shall be our light, and we will see His face (22:4).