He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john. Mar 15, 2012 elaine pagels burst the myth of the early christian church as a unified movement in her 1979 book the gnostic gospels, which won both the national book critics circle award and the national book award, and was chosen by the modern library as one of the 100 best books of the 20th century. In it, john1 talks about the ultimate defeat of evil and the glorious return and reign of the lord jesus christ. In this interpretation, the book of revelation was part of an early power struggle among jesuss believers, an internecine conflict defined by stark terms of good and evil, faithfulness and apostasy, salvation and damnation. In each, metaphoric language was used to communicate something that, experientially, felt too big for words. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the word of god. Revelation is a book that has been called everything from a hodgepodge of nonsense to a masterpiece. Crossway this post is adapted from the chapter entitled revelation by charles e. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant john, 2 who testifies to everything he saw. Revelation book is that there are so many expressions and illustrations given that have never been considered in the religious and the literary world before.
The book consists of six cycles of visions, each of which. Revelation then becomes merely a collection of stories designed to teach spiritual truth. This article will look at this virus and its relationship to revelation. The book consists of six cycles of visions, each of which warns of the dangers arising from sin and evil. Jun 04, 2012 an essential source to the book of revelations is the commentary by bibical scholars scott hahn and curtis mitch in the ignatius catholic study bible series published by ignatius press in san francisco. Is america mystery babylon in the book of revelation. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. So the woman in revelation 12 is the true remnant church, and this whore is obviously an apostate church. Known for her work in translating the nag hammadi library, she joined the princeton faculty in 1982.
In the prologue, john introduces the book by describing it as a revelation concerning things that must soon take place 1. The book of revelation is not just about the future the log. Revelation encounter and endtime prophecy marilyn hickey. It encouraged me to go online and look closer at the book of revelation and it made me realize that my decision to leave church when i did was the correct one.
Introduction the book of revelation is one of the most encouraging books of the new testament. He finds this blending of johns present and future consistent with the nature of prophecy in the new testament. The prophetic messenger a newsletter from mysteries from the word of god ministries julyaugust 1999 volume 1issue 4 why the book of revelation is not in chronological order. Paulist press 1988 and revelations of divine love, juliana of norwich translated with an introduction by m. There may be some who believe some things in the book of revelation are historical, others yet to be fulfilled. The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. The beast, the false prophet, who has the number 666, the antichrist, is. The association of the book with jewish apocalyptic materials is not completely adequate and therefore remains an unreasonable ground for rejecting the futuristic aspects of the book. In this fastpaced fusion of old and new testaments, author joe conti explains, in convincing fashion.
The book of revelation is also called the apocalypse of john, and it is one of several explicitly christian apocalypses that still exist today. The best single book i have read on revelations is coming soon, unlocking the. And then at how, as christians, we should respond to it. It is full of colourful imagery, and is difficult to fathom, but there are celestial references contained within that appear to marry well with the older mythologies that predated christianity. The beast is both number 8, and also one of the seven. The book of revelation never says that it is in chronological order even though there are events that do happen in order. Of a truth most of the descriptions given there can be reasonably applied to the united states that has in many ways turned its back on god to follow after wickedness.
It is framed by these two crises and throughout the middle wormwood planet x brings judgment after judgment on the planet. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1. This is the second copy i have purchased over the years. The papers from that very stimulating event are about to be published july 15 in a volume from baylor university press entitled revelation and the politics of apocalyptic interpretation, edited by richard b. However, when i saw britney spears in concert at summerfest in milwaukee, wisconsin, last summer wearing a madonna tshirt the religious icon, not the pop music icon, her closing number jolted me back to my childhood and the book of revelation. Four international revelations from new book on trump. Craig koester ably takes readers through the entire book of revelation, drawing on the best of recent scholarship while also giving attention to questions arising from events like. It will be of serious interest to specialists and general readers alike who are interested in the new testament.
Nostradamus establishes a timeframe in his epistle to henry ii, and in several of his quatrains, that indicates these final events will not happen, or possibly even begin to. The book of revelation scared me away from church whats. Revelations on the book of revelation public radio. One is a pure woman clothed with the sun righteousness of christ in revelation 12, and this whore in revelation 17. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
By gol april 9, 2011 april 12th, 2016 revelation 20. He has been a high school teacher, and teaches seminars on biblical studies. Watch our overview video on the book of revelation, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. In this view, the book contains neither historical allusions nor predictive prophecy. 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. Written from a conservative, premillennial position, this classic work affirms the centrality of jesus and his coming work of retribution and reward as the keys to understanding revelation. Julyaugust 1999 mysteries from the word of god ministries. See chapter 18 of my book from age to age for a more substantive discussion. The idea of the rapturethe return of christ to rescue and deliver christians off the earthis an extremely popular interpretation of the bibles book of revelation and a jumpingoff point for the bestselling left behind series of books. Mounce reads revelation as reflecting his own culture, but understands that the predictions of johnwill find their final and complete fulfillment in the last days of history 45, first ed. Who has not been perplexed and confused reading the book of revelation. The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible. The book of revelation contains much detail about the beast and the dragon, that i presume to be a description of the red star, the planet nibiru. Gilbert presents a compelling case that thanatos, the angel of death who rides the fourth horse in revelation 6 is given permission to use a biological weapton or therion.
Usually the revelations are given through a rich array of images. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. John looked up and saw an open door, the one he had first heard about when he. However, revelation scholarship has moved on since caird wrote, and ian boxalls new commentary engages with these more recent developments. Writings of the time say he later came to follow gnostic teachings and became an. The moderately futuristic view has much to commend it, in that it sees both the historical setting and the future as playing a role in johns work. May 29, 2016 the book of revelation is not just about the future april 29, 2016. In the study of any book of the bible or any topic of scripture, a certain amount of ground work is needed for understanding, orientation, and motivation. Ebola and the fourth horseman of the apocalypse by sharon k. Sharon gilbert has studied biblical prophecy for over 50 years, and she brings her background in molecular biology to bear on how ebola might actually be mentioned in the book of revelation. An essential source to the book of revelations is the commentary by bibical scholars scott hahn and curtis mitch in the ignatius catholic study bible series published by ignatius press in san francisco. Dec 23, 2011 i also saw the holy city, a new jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from god, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. It is true that much of what is referred to in revelation had its beginnings in the old testament, but revelation has all of these truths compressed into one single book.
As the vision continued to unfold before him, john saw a book scroll in the right hand of the almighty god who was sitting on the throne. If the book of revelation isnt a blueprint that tells us what is coming in the end times, what the heck is it. The first one i have given to another to come to know the truth behind the book of daniel and revelation. Book of revelation read, study bible verses online.
This name indicates the meaning of revelation it uncovers matters that had been hidden and discloses events that would happen long after it was written. But ordinarily, you would either view revelation as prophetic or historical and not mix the two. Being a partial preterist is a little bit like being a quasichicagocubs fan. Book three of this series picks up right after we left off at the end of bound by spells.
Ive read many diverse books on conspiracies, theology, spirituality, aliens etc but this book struck a cord with me on a deep soul level. And the voice i had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, come up here, and i will show you what must take place after this. The book of revelation calls christians to remain faithful to god and christ and to resist the powers of evil in the conviction that god will prevail and bring salvation in the new jerusalem. He finds this blending of johns present and future consistent with. But, primarily we will be looking at how the doctrine given to the seven churches of revelation is the same doctrine that was given to israel in the old testament, and the same as that given in matthew, mark, luke, john, hebrews and the epistles of peter, james, jude, and john. But a close study of this book in and of itself makes it clear that because god is a god of order, and this is the revelation of jesus christ from the time that he appears to john until. Revelation and the end of all things book depository. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. It exposed the truth behind the rapture and those who use it to mislead christians.
This is particularly so with the book of revelation or prophecy in general. Neither, says reverend rich lang of trinity united methodist in ballard washington. It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than didactic or historical. Hill in a biblicaltheological introduction to the new testament. Is revelation, the last book in the bible, a set of prophecies or a set of hallucinations. Jan 04, 2018 from vladimir putin to china, a controversial book sheds new light on a number of international issues facing the trump administration in its early days. There are many references also to the seven angels, who are the 7 moons of nibiru. The greek name of the bible book of revelation, apoka. The book of revelation can be interpreted in many ways. Pagelss new book, revelations, examines a far more familiar text, but it offers revelations of its own for lay readers. The apocalypse an exposition of the book of revelation.
While few specific details of julians life are available, i draw heavily on the work of grace m. Children and young adults should be taught the difference between right and wrong, but not by making god seem like an evil or scary person through the book of revelation. So lets take a look at who this whore of babylon is. The apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant. Hays and stefan alkier the table of contents follows. Who has not been perplexed and confused reading the book of revelation written by john the revelator, who is also known as john the divine, this religious allegory is full of spiritual and mundane symbolism. Over 430 prophecies of the ot on referenced in revelation. And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand. Anagogy views the text as a work expressing timeless propositions of the christian spirit. The book of revelation, full of apocalyptic imagery and clashes between good and evil, probably wasnt a christian book in the beginning. Revelation and the end of all things is a highly readable guide to revelation that engages the questions people most often ask about this difficult book in the bible.
Suspiciously slim for such a complex and fraught subject, this five. Antichrist, armageddon, 666, tribulation, rapture, millennium, israel. In this revised edition of the classic 1977 work the book of revelation nicnt, based on thenestlealand greek new testament, mounce has expands his work to reflect more than twenty additional years of working with revelation, its text, and the scholarship that surrounds it. The book of revelation was written to warn the jews in israel and throughout the middle east what was going to happen to them during the end times age which started at the resurrection of jesus christ, and really starts ramping up in 70 ad when rome levels jerusalem, as jesus speaking about the jews foretold in matthew chapter 24. In fact, many scholars think of revelation as the completion of the ot. May 05, 2015 revelations of divine love by julian of norwich oxford university press. There are two different women in the book of revelation. Many people automatically look to connect any largescale disaster to revelation and see in it a sign of the end. Is coronavirus one of the plagues in the book of revelation. From the moment i opened this book i couldnt stop reading it nor put it down. Book of revelation explained scripture by scripture.
And on her forehead was a name written, mystery, babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. The destruction of our times examines the clues the experts have missed. This section describes a thousand year period during which satan is bound and the saints reign with christ. So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. At the end of the first chapter of revelation, we are introduced to the seven church ages as represented by the seven lampstands. The apocalypse an exposition of the book of revelation 9780825437977 by joseph a. The rest of the book, really the last half of the book is about the overthrow of this system. An apocalypse is a narrative in which an angelic being reveals a supernatural world to a human recipient and points to salvation at the end of time. Most greek manuscripts of revelation contain the number 666 for the number of the beast, but some manuscripts have this number that god is in control, what the world is really like, that rome is a drunk promiscuous woman. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, gods dwelling is with the human race. Aug 10, 2011 the book of revelation, full of apocalyptic imagery and clashes between good and evil, probably wasnt a christian book in the beginning.
The truth is that, though his physical body was on the isle of patmos, john was caught up in the spirit of revelation, in a vision, to see and bear witness of all that he was shown concerning the future and. The book of revelation is kicked off, you might say, by the psalm 83 war. The book considers the three interpretive modes of anagogy, teleology, and geneaology, which have been used by exegetes of the book of revelations. In the preface to the revised edition of commentary mounce states that he still has the same basic approach to the book and he remains a premillennialist, but he has a deeper appreciation for other views of the book. Written by john the revelator, who is also known as john the divine, this religious allegory is full of spiritual and mundane symbolism. One example would be the seven trumpets, trumpet one through seven sound in order from 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 but you can also see that the book of revelation is not in chronological order. Interpretive models for the book of revelation as a whole. The book of revelation lions leopards and bears oh my. This is the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ. Some of the book of revelation has already happened, is happening, and will happen. And i saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. This view also ignores revelations prophetic character and, if carried to its logical conclusion, severs the book from any connection with actual historical events. That jesus is to be the focus of the readers attention throughout the revelation is made clear by the emphasis given to him in this the first part of the book.
Visions for a just world and the people of god nt 6741 spring 2016 harry o. Mar 11, 2008 an alarming number of bible scholars have now accepted the view that the united states of america is the woman portrayed riding the beast in the book of revelation. This is a new commentary on the book of revelation for the blacks new testament commentary series. The book of revelation new international greek testament commentary 9780802821744 by beale, g.
Yet, as paige patterson argues the people who sit in the pews are curious about revelation, and it is the ministers or church leaders job to address that curiosity with courage and what patterson calls moxie. What i hope to do here is provide a brief overview, looking at the major divisions of the book and showing how they fit together. A bible study by jack kelley the throne in heaven after this i looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. The best part of revelation is the last two chapters which has yet to happen, its very simple, jesus christ wins. But christ, in his own words in scripture, gives us the exact window of time during which he will return, and we are now living in that window of time. Revelation to john, last book of the new testament. The binding of satan began during the earthly ministry of christ matt. No comments and i saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. Study scripture verses and use highlighting, underlining, and take notes in the bible. Ebola and the fourth horseman of the apocalypse by. Personalities from the book of revelation bear in mind that my view on armageddon and the second coming is guided by other prophecies both inside and outside of the bible. This book attempts an exegesis of the book of revelations from the perspective of postmodernity. When writing the book of revelation, john used a literary form that would have been familiar to his readers. George cairds blacks commentary on revelation was a masterpiece of clarity and accessibility.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people and god himself. Pastor rossings the rapture exposed, is a book all christians should read. An authoritative interpretation finally unveils its many mysteries. The sequential structure of revelation eschatology. In the july issue of the reformer, a bimonthly publication out of phoenix, arizona, po box 10074, 850640074 editor buff scott takes issue with some things that have been written lately about the biblical promise that in the new heaven and. Others think that the nicolas mentioned in revelation 2 is the man called nicolas, a proselyte from antioch, ordained a deacon early in the churchs history in acts 6. The book of revelation starts with this is a revelation from jesus christ, which god gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. There are some who claim that the book of revelation does not have a sequential and chronological structure. Sep 01, 2012 it was incredible, but it didnt remind me of scary childhood memories of church. Jacques chevaliers book is a brilliant transdisciplinary interpretation of the book of revelation in the light of ancient astromythicism on one hand and contemporary semiotics on the other. An alarming number of bible scholars have now accepted the view that the united states of america is the woman portrayed riding the beast in the book of revelation. The seven letters of revelation 27 271 expound or to defend this claim. In september 2010 i was part of an international symposium on the book of revelation held at duke university.