The project gutenberg ebook of the revelation explained, by f. In the final analysis one gets the sense that we that is, the ancient reader are always in the sixth. I think wesley probably underestimated, because in the 14th chapter of the book of revelation, to which we come this morning, we read that jesus chose not just 12, not even 100, but 144,000 men, and with. The name revelation comes from the first word of the book in koine greek. The book of revelation gives us many of the keys that unlock prophetic understanding because it faithfully follows the principle that the bible interprets itself. This is an important accademic work on the book of revelation, and althogh it has been superseeded by others, especially friessen, it still remains important. Its title is derived from the first word of the koine greek text.
Three times, each at a critical break in the sequence of events described in the book of revelation, christ gives more detail to john for clarification. An overview of the book of revelation a church of christ. Contemporary analysis of the world that produced the book of revelation suggests that. Revelation a study guide about the book of revelation. When people read the book of revelation they encounter this vast array of. The deeper you get into the book the more you see that much of his interpretation is based on the idea that the visions in revelation are chiefly symbolic and much of the application was fulfilled in events that took place during the roman empire. When making a chart of the book of revelation i was surprised to see how many different animals are described throughout the book. The book of hope whoever reads the book of revelation discovers what the christian worship actually is. Why is revelation, the last book of the bible, so different from the rest of the text. The book of revelation is johns record of that vision revelation 1. This lesson will introduce you to the book of revelation. Domitian was the caesar of his day, a ruler who saw himself as deity, as a god little g.
The social setting of revelation 275 thinking appeal unanimously to internal evidence, beginning with the argu ment advanced in engels essays on revelation and early christianity. Book of revelation for dummies cheat sheet dummies. Revelation should not be dated to the reign of emperor nero. And yet, those who take the time to go beyond appearances and to examine its message more closely are in for a surprise. A lot of people think the book of revelation is a very difficult book but i think it can be explained very easily. John was one of the 12 disciples special students of jesus, who later became the. The reason is that the book is full of vivid images, but with little explanation as to what the images mean. What seems like gibberish to modern readers made sense to people for whom this kind of stuff was familiar. The lamb in the structure of the book of revelation donald guthrie p. For further study and refutation of the teachings of the jehovahs witnesses, see the many resources available on the web site of the christian research institute at. Enduring word bible commentary revelation chapter 1. Revelation with book summary versebyverse bible commentary.
The book of revelation has always appealed to people. Read revelation 12 commentary using wesleys explanatory notes. Revelations place in the christian bible 2007 keith gilmour a repulsive film in which intellectuals have found acres of social and political meaning. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1.
The book finishes with a call for all to obey the message of the book and a warning to those who reject what is taught. The lamb in the structure of the book of revelation. Gods work with the jews has, for the most part, been separate from his work with the church, but now in the book of revelation, it all comes together, and will be most clearly seen during the millennial kingdom. Keys to understanding revelation the book of revelation. The sevenheaded beast of revelation and the roman empire. The church fathers interpreted the beast in revelation as the empire of rome. In the event some throw up their hands and say, oh no.
Emperor worship commentary using a testimony of jesus christ. Revelation 12 commentary wesleys explanatory notes. The book of revelation reveals the glory of jesus rev. What is the nonchristian explanation to the origin and. Revelation was written in the last 3rd of the 1st century clearly when the christians were being pressured by rome to turn from their faith to the roman emperor. The book of revelation, or the apocalypse as it is also called, is the last book of the bible. John wesley once said, give me a hundred men who love nothing but god and hate nothing but sin, and i will shake the whole world for christ. A general resurrection, a general judgment and a new age. I think that the key to the book of revelation is that it has an incredibly ornate and lush imagery. Having a proper dispensational perspective is also critical to understanding the book of revelation. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. An easyenglish bible version and commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of revelation.
Adela yarbro collins, pbs frontline according to the dictionary of the bible revelation. This is seen in revelation 7, revelation 1011, revelation 12, revelation 20 and revelation 21. Journal articles gordon campbell, findings, seals, trumpets, and bowls. In pursuing such a course it is claimed that the prophecies of the book are literal and attempts are made to. In the book of revelation chapter 14, there is another, apparently separate group from israel mentioned where john writes on mount zion stood the lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his fathers name written on their foreheads. The rise and fall of the antichrist appendix four a brief overview of the book of revelation. Irenaeus also mentions that john has written the book of revelation towards the end of the roman emperor domitians reign. Revelation is often described as a the revelation of john meaning the revelation to john 1. The book of revelation often called the revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words, the apocalypse, the revelation, or simply revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible. Donald guthrie, the lamb in the structure of the book of revelation, vox evangelica 12 1981. Introduction to the book of revelation series contributed by tim byrd on oct 18, 2002 message contributor based on 235 ratings rate this sermon. Other books, such as zechariah, isaiah, jeremiah, and ezekiel, can help one way or.
We hope this commentary is a beneficial study tool in your devotion to the word of god. Of course, even after going over the books content, it can still be difficult to know what revelation is all about. I tell you, the devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. The book of revelation doesnt mean what you think theres more to understanding this ancient book than you realize. Study the bible online using commentary on revelation 12 and more. It is impossible for a short lesson such as this to cover all the thoughts, ideas and instructions that are contained in this book. Understanding the book of revelation berean research. He was a jewish christian prophet, probably belonging to a group of such prophets, and was accepted by the. So, having briefly examined the passages for which you requested that i clarify my position, i would suggest looking into the book of revelation now and carrying these understandings with us. The book of revelation was probably completed during. Is this the same john who wrote the gospel account and three letters. John was a christian leader of jewish origin who was in exile on the roman prison island of patmos. An overview of the book of revelation by loren peacock introduction in this overview i am attempting to present the book of revelation in language that is not symbolic i. The book is also called the apocalypse, and it is the only piece of new testament writing cast.
An ancient commentary on the book of revelation this is a new critical edition, with translation and commentary, of the scholia in apocalypsin, which were falsely attributed to origen a. Book of revelation explained the purpose of this video is very simple. Biblicallydefined sorcery in the 20th and 21st centuries this is a sequel to the thread, pharmakeia in the nt era. The book of revelation has come to be read as prophesying the events of the end of history. The was the title given to the book in the latin vulgate 3. This book was intended for the seven churches of asia. The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible.
Metzger is a well known and respected scholar and the book is well written. There were other jewish and christian apocalyptic texts during the period and they used the same symbol. A brief overview and interpretation of the book of revelation eric v. Summary in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early. Toward the end of the first century of the christian era, emperor worship was fairly well. Historically, though, many thought it was written earlier than that, and there is a surprisingly strong case that the. The book of revelation is war literature, pagels explained. Variations upon the theme of covenant rupture and restoration in the book of revelation, westminster theological journal 66. Weve already considered the difficulties with the dating of revelation to this time period. The author names himself as john, but modern scholars consider it unlikely that the author of revelation also wrote the gospel of john. John the divinebetter known as the book of revelationis the final book of the christian bible, and also the strangest. You have a dragon, whos actually identified as the devil behind the scenes, and of. See also the relevant entries in my book, the complete bible answer bookcollectors edition nashville.
There is something about a good mystery that stirs the heart and revelation is certainly mysterious. We dont know why john was exiled to patmos, but it may have been for refusing to worship the roman emperor domitian, who had declared himself a god. God would surely triumph and destroy the evil roman empire that was the source of their persecution. They are included in the body of the text so the reader can see them as he reads the book without having to page over to a separate outline. Book of revelation explained scripture by scripture. No other new testament book poses more serious and difficult interpretive challenges than revelation. Most scholars today think that the book of revelation was written around the year a. Having confined him to this barren spot, the emperor no doubt thought he had. The book of revelation is the last book of the new testament of the bible. If youre befuddled by the book of revelation in the bible, dont fret. The majority of modern scholarly commentators understand the city on seven hills in revelation as a reference to rome.
The headings and subheadings make up an outline of the book. Conflicts within, fears without, westminster theological journal 54. Therefore, only those who believe that the bible is inspired by god and trust what it says will be able to understand the significance of what is revealed in the book of revelation. These, and all the accounts of those times, show with what fury the dragon then persecuted the woman. The introduction and prologue to the book of revelation. He is the author of the forth gospel and of three epistles. Does the book of revelation have something to say to. A brief overview of the book of revelation the rise and. The roman emperor, domitian, had banished him for preaching the gospel. At times john seems to see a literal animal and describes it in the book, while at other times john uses an animal as a way to described what he sees an example is when john says he sees a lamb when he sees jesus. The writer of revelation identifies himself as john. David guzik commentary on revelation 1 begins with an opening description of the return of jesus, and the vision that john had of jesus. This summary of the book of revelation provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of revelation. It is a revelation that was received by the apostle john while he was in romanimposed exile on the island of patmos in the eastern mediterranean around 90 a.
Christians were certainly persecuted in rome and the emperor nero. We encourage you to read the revelation word for word. Revelation was written in the last decade of the first century ca. This article examines the book of revelation and is the concluding part of a letter we wrote, the first part being posted in a previous article on this website 2. The book of revelation is the complement to the old testament, and the better your understanding of the old testament, the more you will understand the book of revelation.
Headings throughout the following book of revelation. You encounter these fantastic figures who play some role in the drama of the end, whether it be. The blessing will come to each one who obeys the book of revelation. What a delightful and splendid book that is appropriate for every believer to hold, keep at heart, meditate on, and constantly repeat day and night. Its title comes from the first verse of the text, the revelation of jesus christ. Christian interpreters typically read the book of daniel along with the new testaments book of revelation. And i heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The emperor cult was widely practiced, but christians were not being. Placing the book of revelation clearly in the social setting of asia minor challenges much of the older scholarship on johns work being set in a time of persecution. Before beginning to go through the content of revelation, we recommend that you read through the, and sections to familiarize yourself with the framework concerning this incredible book of god. Take a look at the basic structure of the book of revelation.
1109 923 10 499 1259 927 413 1241 1317 44 383 670 1358 857 504 166 1195 1184 304 1355 458 907 1232 932 1476 471 115 1147 237 178 268 1259 1538 1529 564 137 630 547 1395 1085 744 326 1063 837 1335 131 561 174