I was never a big fan of politicians, but the past two years have eroded any residual trust I had in these people. Their policies, outright lies and obfuscation of truth have left me cynical and untrusting, and it’s sad that these feelings can often be transferred to other areas of life. We all need to be able to trust those in authority if we are to feel secure, but this is not always possible. When people’s words are found to be contradictory and false, we are left with a sense of disillusionment. Trust is like broken glass, they say: easy to shatter and hard to repair.
I always end the year reading the book of Revelation, a book which has aroused much controversy and whose details leave us scratching our heads in puzzlement. It’s an apocalyptic, allegorical book which reminds us there is much in life that is invisible to the natural eye. I don’t pretend to understand all of it, but one thing that struck me as I reached the last chapters was the repetition of the phrase ‘trustworthy and true.’ (Rev 21:5, Rev 22:6)
Revelation 21 starts with a picture of a new heaven and a new earth, the consummation of God’s plans for our world. It’s a tremendously reassuring picture of the ‘new Jerusalem’ as a bride for God, with the hope of a new world order better than anything any politician can offer: ‘“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”’ (Rev 21:3-4) Whilst we may not understand when or how this state can occur, the Bible is emphatic that this is what awaits those who have put their trust in God through His Son, Jesus Christ. God reminds us He is making everything new (Rev 21:5) and then John is told, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Rev 21:5) In the next chapter, the angel reminds John that all he has seen and written down, this vision of Eden restored (Rev 22:1-4), can be trusted: ‘These words are trustworthy and true.’ (Rev 22:6)
I find it tremendously reassuring that these words are both trustworthy (literally worthy of our trust) and true. So often, we can’t trust what people say and we can find it very difficult to sift truth from lies. It seems that most people believe if you say something often enough and loud enough, it will be accepted as truth. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6) and that the truth has the power to set us free. (John 8:32) God defines truth, and therefore we have to learn to measure all words against this plumb line. Secondly, truth can be trusted. It’s not a chameleon. It has seemed that ‘facts’ can be twisted and manipulated to justify whatever policy politicians want to impose on us at any given time, but words that are true are not like that. They will remain true whatever the circumstances and therefore can be trusted. God’s words are both trustworthy and true. We may not understand everything He says, but we can trust Him and He will not let us down.
