Tuesday, June 24, 2008

"Revelation"

The book of Revelation is a book of controversy to so many. Many see it as a book of end time predictions. Others see it with some hidden message for us today, making all kinds of assumptions regarding the meaning of the symbols. Let me say this, the book isn't written like other books of the Bible, like the gospel accounts, Romans, Philippians and the like. Where does one begin to understanding it? If you follow commentators, they cannot even agree, so where does that leave us?
I know many will question me when I say the book is not that difficult to understand. I really mean that. For years when I first started preaching, I avoided the book like a plague, with the attitude that it really doesn't pertain to us and is not meant to be understood. What childish thinking I had! The book is rich and encouraging. It can be understood.
Here is some help for you. The book of Revelation, (not plural 'Revelations'), is rooted in Old Testament prophets speech and thoughts. You need to familiarize yourself with how many of the prophets of old spoke in images and pictures. They were not speaking literal but using descriptive pictures to make a point. For instance, Joel is a book speaking of a mighty nation invading their land and they have teeth like lions and fangs of a lioness (Joel 1:6). He explains in vivid description about their appearance like horses, the noise they make with their chariots, sounding like a crackling fire. They cause the earth to quake and the heavens tremble, the sun and moon grow dark and the stars loose their brightness (Joel 2). All through the book these descriptions are given to describe one thing: A LOCUST PLAGUE (Joel 1). There are other Old Testament prophets that write like this and because so many are unfamiliar with this kind of descriptive writings, that's why they mess up the book of Revelation.
The main question I get from many is this: Has the book of Revelation been fulfilled? I am careful when answering because many have been impressed with the worlds thinking and ideas that it is hard for them to believe otherwise. Bear in mind with this that John wrote the book over two thousand years ago. He identifies the book in the first verse of chapter one, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God have Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place;" The book is about the "things which must soon take place". Then it goes on to say in verse three, "for the time is near." What do these two phrases mean? This is how he opens the book! It was written specifically to the seven churches because whatever this book was about was going to have a direct affect upon them. John closes the book with the same identical thoughts in 22:6 and 22:10. John didn't get to the end of the book and suddenly change his mind about the time frame! It is so difficult for some to accept the words at face value without trying to put their own thinking and 'spin' on it! This is what John says, which he got directly from an angel, who came from Jesus who got all this from God! It's about the things that would shortly take place and the time was near in their day and time!
It seems everyone agrees that the words "soon" and "near" mean what they say until we get to the book of Revelation. Those thoughts get swept under the rug because everyone thinks there is some special secret code in the book. If I were to write you a letter and say I will see you soon or the time is near for me to come to you, what would you think? Two thousand years or more? The book opens with these thoughts and closes with these thoughts to give encouragement and instruction to the brethren that were going to be in the middle of all that was about to happen. Some of them would loose their lives (Rev. 6:11) and they needed assurance they would be taken care of!
The bottom line, the book is about the things that related to the Roman Empire and how the Lord God would dismantle it. Whatever the signs and images are to mean, we must understand that it related to them two thousand years ago that they would happen soon! People come back with "But with God a day is a thousand years and a thousand years is a day!" (II Pet. 3:8). Think for yourself! That verse is describing "with the Lord" not with man! Take a close look at Dan. 8:26 with Rev. 22:10 and let it say what it means. Here is what the two text say: Daniel received a vision and the Lord told him to seal of the vision because "it pertains to many days in the future." John ends his vision and the book of Revelation with do not seal up the prophecy of this book because "the time is near." They were both told to do opposite things. There was over 400 years between Daniel and Revelation. There is over 2000 years between Revelation and us. Just let common sense rule!
If you have questions, please ask. The safest approach to the book is let John tell us what the time frame is rather us telling John! I will give more on this later!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Brent, I needed that explanation so much. I have avoided that book like the plague as well, because I thought it was just over my head, which I will say doesn't take much!!! This puts in in perspective and has encouraged me to go back and open it up for the lessons that can be drawn from it. Thanks for including this as part of your daily lessons.

Anonymous said...

Dale,

I would encourage you to keep in mind what is also said in Chapter 1 verse 3 of the book:

"Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

I personally would say that you should keep your mind not only open, but clear too. If you even remotely let any pre-conceived thoughts to start to interject ideas into book, you will soon find yourself lost and confused. Chapter 22 starting in verse 18 gives us a very specifc warning about being very careful with the book.

Brent said...

Thanks for you input Jim and you are exactly correct! Why, I think I'll just let you write tomorrows continuation....:)

Anonymous said...

Brent,

Thanks for the compliment.

I would mention that what you said at the very beginning of the second posting, "Revelation" II, is vital to how one approaches the entire book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ. So often we attempt to apply what "we" think we know to the book when we should really study the rest of the entire Bible to let God tell us what we "need" to know and not what "we" want to hear.

In this fast paced world we rush to jump to conclusions, or form opinions based on what others say, and fail to diligently study. There are no shortcuts when it comes to the Word of God.