Session 13 The Book of Revelation

Talking about Next Year

2 John
For authorship and date, see similar info on 1 John Written to maybe one particular congregation to warn them of false teachers on the loose, and largely reiterates the themes of 1 John like believing in the Incarnation, and continuing to love one another. One text to clarify: If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. (2 John 10-11)

Revelation

Session 13 The Book of Revelation

Names as many movies as possible that present a vision of the future?

The book of Revelation (not Revelations) is the final book of the Bible.

People have lots of different reactions some people hate it, some people love it, a great many people are confused by it.

George Bernard Shaw: curious record of the visions of a drug addict.

Harold Camping.- Jesus is coming back on this date

I think both George Bernard Shaw and Harold Camping have Revelation wrong. At the heart of reading of any piece of writing well is to understand its genre

Reading Shakespeare

Session 13 The Book of Revelation Reading Parking Tickets

Before you draw conclusions on Revelation do you understand what type of literature it is?

Revelation is apocalyptic literature.

Greek word - apokalupsis which means revelation

God uncovers or reveals a new perspective that you couldnt see before. You see heavens ultimate perspective, not just earths limited perspective. o Sometimes what is revealed is the future o Sometimes, it is about seeing things in the present for what they really are.

Apocalyptic literature expresses itself through powerful symbols and images.

Apocalyptic talks in word-pictures because sometimes that is the best way of talking.

Revelations symbols designed to affect you not to hide things from you.

How to Get the Images and Symbols of Revelation

They feel like a code because we are not the original readers

Session 13 The Book of Revelation

The only way you are going to get Revelations images and symbols is to read them the way the original readers would have understood them.

Revelation is addressed to real churches in the first century

The message of Revelation has to make sense as much to them as it does to us.

So what would the symbols have communicated to them?

Their situation In the time when Revelation was written, the society they lived in was worshipping the power of Rome even worshipping the emperor. Worship meant they treated Rome as the one who secured their existence who maintained world order, who you put your trust in To a Christian you just cant say this ultimately God holds life and the world in his hands only God is worthy of worship.

The Christian Challenge of that Context

Either go along with the flow Or suffer for being different act as if the emperor isnt a god.

Session 13 The Book of Revelation

What is revealed to them is both the present and the future.

In the present Roman power is shown to be ugly, brutal, and temporary In the future it shows that what brings temporary advantage now might result in eternal disadvantage.

It might just be better to experience temporary disadvantage for the sake of eternal advantage.

The Final Images of Hope

Where God is taking the world is better than you can ever have imagined. Revelation 22:1-3 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse.

Heaven is a place on earth

Creation at its best