(These are notes from the Sunday evening Bible study on January 7, 2007)
As we begin our Winter Bible Study in the Revelation, I suggest that you approach this study by doing three things:
1) Read the book in its entirety in at least two translations.
2) Think about these texts in dream language. Martin Martin reminds us that the Revelation is one of two or three books in the Bibles that calls itself a dream or a vision. Remarkable, many Christians interpret this dream book more literally than the non-dream books. “Try interpreting your dreams and you’ll see why people expound weird ideas on this book.”
3) Listen for what the Spirit is saying to us, collectively. Do not privatize the message as if it is only meant for you. Throughout the book, John urges, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Among all of the source materials I will reference, I will rely heavily on these works to guide my study and preparation:
The Revelation, a commentary by Dr. Mitchell Reddish, chair of Religious Studies at Stetson University.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, by Dr. Ray Frank Robbins, past Professor of New Testament at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Making Sense of the Revelation, by Dr. William Turner, retired pastor of South Main Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and currently Professor of Homiletics at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky.
Introductory notes:
1. The Revelation is primarily a book of worship, comfort, and encouragement. The book is intended to offer strength and challenge to Christians in seasons of trial and tribulation. To use the book simply to strike fear is outside the original purpose and is a misuse of John’s visioni.
2. The author is John, often called the Revelator. While there is speculation as to whether this could be John the Apostle or John the Elder, our purposes of study are served to refer to the author as John.
3. The date of the writing is usually considered to be near the end of Domitian’s reign, perhaps around 95 AD.
4. The location is Patmos, a small Mediterranean Island located about 37 miles from Miletus. The island served as a penal colony. It is believed that John could have been banished there during the persecution, was later pardoned, and that he remained on the island during the time of writing.
5. The occasion of the writing is the persecution of the church during the reign of Domitian. This persecution was not a purge of Christians, as much as it was a punitive era against Christians who refused to worship the emperor.
6. The literature genre is apocalyptic. Apocalypse means the “revealing” or the “unveiling.” Apocalyptic literature may include prose, poetry, drama, epistle, and doxology.
7. The theme calls for believers to be faithful and persevere. Failure to recant one’s profession of faith could lead to execution but John encourages the believers to persevere, to endure, and to immerse themselves in their future with Christ.
8. The theology type is eschatology, or future hope in light of the consummation of all things.
9. There are four primary views or interpretations:
1) Preterist- interprets all events in the Revelation as historical.
2) Historical- interprets some events as historical, some as present, and some as futuristic
3) Futuristic- interprets events in Revelation as occurring in future dispensations
4) Symbolic- understands the stories of Revelation as only having symbolic or spiritual application
10. The Revelation is the 27th and final book in the New Testament canon.
Revelation 1:1-8 The Witness
1. The Revelation is the only book that promises a blessing to those who take the time to read it. Likewise, it is the only book that threatens a curse on anyone “who adds or takes away” from this message.
2. The Revelation refers to Jesus as “the faithful witness,” “the one who is, who was, and who is to come.”
3. The opening to the letter includes a greeting (v. 4-5a) and doxology (v.7). A doxology is an interjection or acclamation of praise.
On Wednesday evening, we will begin our investigation of the letters to the seven churches.
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