Welcome to our study of the book of Revelation Popular mispronunciations and misconceptions It is a...

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Welcome to our study of the book of RevelationPopular mispronunciations and misconceptions

It is a Revelation (singular)

It is the revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelations

NOT

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

NOT

VApoka,luyij

VApoka,luyewj

Welcome to our study of the book of RevelationBackground

Who wrote the book?

When was it written?

To whom was it written?

Why was it written?

Structure – How is the book put together?

How will we proceed? One section each week

You’ll get more out of it if you read the section before our lesson

This morning we’ll read the first section together

Welcome to our study of the book of Revelation

A few preliminaries:

1. I DO NOT have all of the answers to the questions that this book presents to modern readers.

2. The Bible can never say what the Bible never said. Revelation was written to a particular people in a particular time. We need to understand its original meaning before we can attempt to understand what it says to us today.

Welcome to our study of the book of RevelationA few more preliminaries:

3. Bring your Bible! I will have notes to hand out, but you may want to make some marginal notes in your Bible.

4. There are as many different interpretations to Revelation as there are people writing about the book. I will attempt to present a fairly conservative approach to the text.

5. I will be using the NIV (1984) translation in my teaching and our notes unless otherwise noted.

Please put your seatbacks and tray tables in their full, upright and locked position.

We’re ready to take-off!

Background - Who wrote the book?

The text identifies the author simply as “John.”

There are three different “Johns” that have been offered as possible candidates for authorship.

• John the Apostle – Justin Martyr (c. AD 130) identifies the author of the Apocalypse as John the son of Zebedee, the disciple of Christ.

• John the Elder – Supported by Dionysius and Eusebius (c. AD 324)

• John the unknown churchman – A Jewish Christian who was well known in the churches, well-versed in Old Testament Scripture, and previously unidentified.

Church tradition identifies John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee as having livedwell into his nineties. If this is the case, then he could very well have been aliveduring the persecution of Domitian (AD 81-96). He was extremely well known in Asia (Turkey) and it would have been very difficult for the Romans to simply execute him. So, they sent him off to Patmos, an island off the coast of Asia hoping to reduce his influence over the churches in Asia. There is sufficient grammatical evidence to link John the Apostle to the book of Revelation. Much more so than is available to link the author of the fourth gospel and the Johanine letters (1, 2, 3 John).

John the Apostle

Background – When was the book written?

We really don’t know for sure, but there are two very distinct possibilities:

1. During the persecution of Christians in Rome by Nero on 18 July 64AD

2. During the persecution of Domitian between AD 81-96

Most modern scholars favor a later date (about AD 95 +/-) because:

- Domitian was a weak ruler with an ego problem. He was a nerd but his father and brother were successful generals. He needed to prove that he was as good as they were.- He was trying to unite a vast empire and he knew he couldn’t do it by force of arms. So, he encouraged a cult that blended the worship of the goddess Roma with the worship of the emperor. Domitian claimed the honor of divinity and required that he be worshiped as such. This was very well received in the east and particularly in Asia (Turkey).- Emperor worship and the persecution of those who refused was an empire- wide phenomenon whereas Nero’s persecution was largely limited to Rome and the immediate area around the city.

Around 95AD

Background – To whom was the book written?The text tells us that it was written by one who was a fellow sufferer of the original audience (1:9).

Furthermore the first three chapters identify the “seven churches” as recipients of John’s letter (1:11).

Thus the original audience was located in the Roman province of Asia, which we know today as the western portion of Turkey.

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Background – To whom was the book written?

Background – Why was the book written?At the end of the first century, Christians were experiencing widespread persecution.

- The cult of emperor worship had taken hold in Asia (Turkey)- Jews were exempt from emperor worship as long as they paid a special tax- Christianity had been tolerated as a sect of Judaism but animosity had broken out between the Christians and Jews- The Jews worked to separate themselves from the Christians - The Christians found themselves outside of the protective umbrella of Judaism- Without the protection of being “Jewish” the Christians were forced to comply with the emperor worship laws.- Most of the cities in Asia had a system of trade guilds that controlled business- These trade guilds often combined pagan rituals and emperor worship in their meetings.- If you were not a member of the guild you could not conduct business- Christians were outcasts, both politically and economically- They refused to worship the emperor and so they were often imprisoned, and barred from participation in the trade guilds- Ultimately they became fugitives who could not earn a living

Two forms of persecutionPolitical Economic

Background – Why was the book written?At the end of the first century, Christians were experiencing widespread persecution.

Revelation was written to teach the following ideas:- The end of history is a person – Jesus Christ – and that person can be trusted.

- Reign and realm of evil came to and end on Easter morning.

- The enemy still fights as if they have a chance to win even though they are doomed.

- John addresses the questions of how we are to live in a world that is literally “hell” when we have already won the war.

- How do we maintain a faithful witness to Jesus Christ?

So what is the Book of Revelation?The first chapter tells us:

Rev. 1:1-3 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw-- that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Rev 1:10-11 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."

The first chapter tells us:

Rev. 1:1-3 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw-- that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Rev 1:10-11 On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."

So what is the Book of Revelation?

It is revelation – that which was revealed to John by God. The Greek word for “revelation” is VApoka,luyij from which we get the word

“Apocalypse.”

It is also prophecy – prophecy does not always mean telling the future. Prophecy means speaking the words that God has given you. Sometimes these words do speak to future events; sometimes they are warnings to turn from sinful behavior.

It is also a letter – God intended the information revealed to John to be disseminated to the “seven” churches (and beyond).

So what is the Book of Revelation?

What is an Apocalypse?It is a form of literature that was developed by Jewish writers during the periodof the Babylonian Captivity (586-538 BC). As a form of literature, it was popular between 200BC and 100AD.

It is unique to Judaism (and hence Christianity)

Speaks only to the coming of the end of the world

Apocalyptic thinking began with the prophets

- Prophets spoke of what God was doing now and in the near future

- The tendency was to push fulfillment further and further into the future

- The most devastating event in the history of Israel was the exile* The prevailing opinion was that the Babylonians’ god was stronger than the God of Israel* The hope of the prophets gets pushed way out into the future

Features of an Apocalypse1. Always originates from suffering or oppression

2. It is insider literature – written for the people of faith

3. Highly symbolic, often illogical and irrational

4. Uses numbers symbolically

5. Always pseudonymous – written by someone else in the name of a important character from the past

6. Always world defying – current world is evil andreaders are urged to withdraw and wait for theend to come

All of these aretypical of Revelation

None of these featuresappear in Revelation

But, what about the symbols?John uses two basic types of symbols – Numbers and Images

First are numbers7 – used most frequently in the book – there are seven churches, seven lampstands, seven seals, seven trumpets, etc. Seven is the numberof completion and perfection. It is used 52 times in Revelation.

3 – Is often used with a Trinitarian understanding

4 – Most often refers to the natural world

6 – All that man can achieve on his own and therefore deficient and evil

10 – Not very consistently used to denote the nations of the world. Can also denote complete or all.

12 – The people of God (12 tribes, 12 apostles, 12 disciples, etc.)

These understandings are typical but not absolute. You must look at the context ofwhat John is saying and what is taking place in the story. You cannot “woodenly”interpret these symbols.

John was writing to a 1st century audience under persecution or about to enterinto a period of tribulation. What he wrote had to have been understandableto his original audience or the book would never have survived. It is quiteprobable that John developed images along the lines of a modern-day politicalcartoon.

How many of us knowwhat this cartoon is allabout?

Yet, when it appeared inthe Chicago Tribune in1919 everyone knewwhat it meant.

But, what about the symbols?

John was writing to a 1st century audience under persecution or about to enterinto a period of tribulation. What he wrote had to have been understandableto his original audience or the book would never have survived. It is quiteprobable that John developed images along the lines of a modern-day politicalcartoon.

Do you remember when Hostess Bakery went bankrupt?

How many of our grandchildren will remember what this means?

But, What about the symbols?

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But, What about the symbols?

It is highly likely that the symbols and imagesJohn uses in Revelation were very wellknown to his readers and hearers. Theirforce and meaning may have either beenlost over time or completely changed.

Structure of the bookIntroduction and Prologue (1:1-8)

Jesus among the Seven Churches (1:9-20)Letters to the Seven Churches (Chapters 2 and 3)

Throne Scene in Heaven (Chapters 4 and 5)The Seven Seals (6:1 – 8:1)

Seals 1-6Intermission7th Seal

The Seven Trumpets (8:2-11:19)Trumpets 1-6Intermission7th TrumpetInterlude (Chapters 12 through 14)

The Woman and the DragonThe Satanic TrinityThe Harvest of the Earth

The Seven Bowls (Chapters 15 and 16)IntroductionSeven Bowls Poured Out

The Destruction of Babylon (17:1 through 19:5)Christ returns (19:6 through 20:15)

The New Heaven and Earth (21:1-22:5)Conclusion (22:6-20)

Closing (22:21)

Four Ways to Interpret Revelation

1. Preterist – the events and prophecies are understood entirely from a first century setting.

2. Historicist – the events and prophecies describe history from the first century up until today.

3. Futurist – the events and prophecies (especially from 4:1 onwards) belong in the future.

4. Idealist – the events and prophecies are expressions of the basic principles and truth of God.

Four Ways to Interpret Revelation





Each of these approaches has been popular at various times from the first century until now. Each approach has its merits but also its shortcomings. There is no one single interpretive method that satisfies the need for relevance both in the first century and today.

Four Ways to Interpret RevelationEach method has its merits

1. Preterist- This approach maintains contact with the original audience.

Most adherents to this view see “Babylon the Great” as the Roman empire which was destroyed in the 5th century.





2. Historicist- This philosophy of history has found specific fulfillment in all the major

crises of history.






3. Futurist- The central message is eschatological- The ending is the same – Satan is destroyed






4. Idealist- God is at work to bring about his sovereign design for the human race- The end gives meaning to the process


1. Preterist- The final victory outlined in chapter 19 and following is never achieved.




Four Ways to Interpret RevelationEach method has its problems


2. Historicist- Events taking place centuries after their prediction would have had little meaning for first century readers.- Each generation sees itself as the one immediately prior to Christ’s

return and therefore interprets the visions of John to accommodate this understanding.






3. Futurist- There is no connection with the first century audience.



1. Preterist – the event and prophecies are understood entirely from a first century setting.



4. Idealist - Denies any consummation of the historical process.


1. Preterist – the event and prophecies are understood entirely from a first century setting.



4. Idealist - the events and prophecies are expressions of the basic principles and truth of God.

We will adopt a blended approach. Certainly Revelation does describe events of the first century. It does contain prophecies of events that have already taken place. Revelation also contains predictions of events that have yet to occur. One of the overarching messages is the triumph of good over evil (Idealist view).

Four Ways to Interpret RevelationHow will we proceed?

Next Week

Chapter 1 –

Introduction and Jesus among the seven churches

Welcome to our study of the book of Revelation Popular mispronunciations and misconceptions It is a...

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