You will understand what revelation says about the past, present, and future, and how it relates to. John wrote revelation while a prisoner on the island of patmos, approximately 8595 a. If the final book of the bible has ever left you scratching your head or wondering what to make of plagues and horsemen, your friendly nonprophet is here to help you read revelation as never before. Apocalypticism was not a new phenomenon among christians. Section 77, questions and answers on the book of revelation. Summary in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early christian community.
Most of johns visions focus on that time mentioned by gods prophets throughout the scriptures as the day of the lord, also known as the day of the lord jesus christ, the day of christ and, here in revelation, the lords day revelation 1. John saw a man in a robe and a golden sash, with hair white as woolsnow, eyes like blazing fire, feet like burnished bronze, a voice like the sound of rushing waters, having the seven stars in his right hand, a sharp doubleedged sword coming out of his mouth and his face shining like the. Revelation to john, also called book of revelation or apocalypse of john, last book of the new testament. The rise and fall of the antichrist appendix four a brief overview of the book of revelation. Although containing many errors, this documentary clearly shows that john s book was intended for his contemporaries and not about a future end of the. Chapter 4 records johns vision of heaven, and chapters 5 through 20 record his vision of the triumphant destiny of gods kingdom. Revelation with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. The author of the book of revelation, saint john the divine, offers a transcription of seven letters and later describes strange beasts, visions of judgments, governments, demonic battles, heaven, and a new world order a prophetic vision for the end of the world. Nov 07, 2017 even a cursory glance through the book of revelation shows you that it is chockfull of angels. Oh, and i love johnny cash the author of the best song ever written about john s revelation, the man comes around. A testimony of jesus christ is a commentary that explains some of the mysteries of revelation. The description of those seventh seal events fills most of the remainder of the book.
John s visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by his death and resurrection, and will return one day as the true king of the world. Section 77, questions and answers on the book of revelation, doctrine and covenants student manual 2002, 16771. 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. If youre befuddled by the book of revelation in the bible, dont fret. This booklet contains vital understanding that will forever change your outlook on the future. We purposely give very little interpretation of johns metaphors, except as is made available in the book of revelation. The revelation is the only prophetic book of the nt and it is the keystone of the word of god. A bible study in easyenglish 2800 word vocabulary on the book of revelation. Book of revelation definition of book of revelation by the. The book of revelation explained by pastor allen nolan is a teaching. Understand the purpose, key themes, and symbolism of the most fascinating book in the bible with the book of revelation for dummies, an easytounderstand guide that will help you grasp the enduring messages of revelation and apply them to your life.
Resseguies narrative commentary on the book of revelation helps the reader follow in the footsteps of john the narrator. With its complex imagery, dramatic violence, and challenging spiritual references, johns revelation seems shrouded in mystery. Book of revelation definition of book of revelation by. Johns description of jesus eyes being like flames is. The things john had already seen are recorded in chapter 1. Johns description is similar, but john emphasises beauty and light. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all. By the time the writings that are now included in the new testament were assembled in their present form, three letters and one gospel were also attributed to john. Many of the book s original readers were still alive during the lifetimes of justin martyr and irenaeus, both of who held to apostolic authorship.
While revelation offers many details on the tribulationeven if they are often couched in the mystery of symbolic languageit is the final four chapters that dictate the overall message of the book. Revelation to john appears to be a collection of separate. Enduring word bible commentary revelation chapter 1. The description of jesus hair is very like daniels description of the ancient of days. But the most striking thing about the angels as a group of characters is the fact that they just appear and disappear, often with no explanation, and with little continuity. It is the final warning that the world will surely end and judgment will be. A narrative commentary, evoked in me a rich sense of enthusiasm and delight for such artful production of a thoroughly readable commentary that approaches the book as an organic whole, a unity with a beginning, middle, and end. An apocalyptic letter, it relies on visions, symbols, and old testament references to reveal the ultimate fulfillment. Notice how many in my list simply never recur again. It is evident that the revelation bears the style of an epistle at the beginning and at the end.
The book of revelation was written to seven churches as both encouragement and challenge. After reading book of revelation overview, you may wish to consider some of the following questions. He shows clearly that john received his prophetic visions directly many of us theologians recognize, and most of the students of scripture agree that the book of revelation is not easy to interpret. In the first chapter, the risen and exalted christ is speaking to john. Book of revelation explained a testimony of jesus christ. The description of the antichrist mentioned in daniel 9. The book of revelation is perhaps the most mysterious book in sacred scripture. The book of revelation, often called the book of revelations, revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation, or simply revelation, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words or the apocalypse, is the final book of the new testament, and therefore also the final book of the christian bible. These stones have bright colours, often red, like the colours that you see in a fire. It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than. Revelation is indeed sent as a letter with a traditional greeting, direct messages to the recipients re 23, and a sendoff re 22. The book of revelation certainly contains some vivid and disturbing imagery and many have called it an angry text.
Revelation begins with john, the last surviving apostle and an old man, in exile on the small, barren island of patmos, located in the. Four angels sent from god with power to save life and to destroy it. Under these conditions, a christian named john wrote revelation. This approach believes that revelation is a book full of pictures and symbols intended to encourage and comfort persecuted christians in johns day.
Following is a discussion of the main events of johns revelation, in the order in which john describes them. The great voice heard in heaven heard in v 10, like the voice of the elder of 7. Pack staggering events foretold in your bible will shock the whole world. I think that the key to the book of revelation is that it has an incredibly ornate and lush imagery. Keys to understanding revelation united church of god. Revelation 1 niv bible the revelation from jesus christ. Book of revelation for dummies cheat sheet dummies. Edgar cayce on the book of revelation the afterlife. Christians throughout history have given almost unanimous affirmation to the identity of the books author as john the apostle, who had been exiled to the island of patmos by the authorities for preaching the gospel in asia. Everything you wanted to understand about the book of revelation explained. Full of engaging graphics, author and illustrator todd hampson has created a userfriendly guide to johns prophecies about the last days. About the first of march, while engaged in this work, questions arose in regard to the meaning of some of the figurative. A literary analysis of the book of revelation, is a compilation of notes and letters written by the late steven paul, a catholic scholar who died of cancer in 2000.
The author allows us to hear what john heard and see what john saw, so that the sights and sounds of the book mutually interpret and enrich one another. Jun 04, 2014 bbc documentary on the book of revelation. The traditional story of the book of revelation is that it was experienced by john the apostle while he was in exile on the greek island of patmos. All these prophecies come together in the book of revelation. Revelation 1922 portrays christs future triumph over the forces of evil and his recreation of the world for the redeemed. Take a look at the basic structure of the book of revelation. For these three signs provide the explanation for why the woes and. The revelation of jesus christ was given to john by god to show his servants what must soon take place. 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. Everything you wanted to understand about the book of revelation explained if the final book of the bible has ever left you scratching your head or wondering what to make of plagues and horsemen, your friendly nonprophet is here to help you read revelation as never before. The holy scriptures start with a revelation on the past genesis 1 and they end with a revelation on the future.
The author of revelation mentioned his name, john, four times throughout the book revelation 1. Only revelation and the gospel of john describe jesus as the lamb 5. According to the book, this john was on the island of patmos, not far from the coast of. What are the angels doing in the book of revelation. This book is filled with mysteries about things to come. The theology of the book of revelation by richard bauckham.
Asia in this book is part of the country that we now call turkey. The 333page book, titled the apocalypseletter by letter. 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 symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. Johns visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by his death and resurrection, and will return one day as the true king of the world. Since judgment day is coming, theres no better time to understand the present in light of historys finale. Parts of the old testament, particularly in the book of daniel, are also written in the apocalyptic genre. Great prophecies in the book of revelation show how and when these catastrophic events will occur.
In these verses, john gives us a description of what jesus is like. The book of revelation, or the apocalypse as it is also called, is the last book of the bible. As a child of the church of god anderson movement, im also a strong advocate for a united church as well as a focus on embodying holy love. There isnt a chapter that doesnt mention them in one form or another, and much of the action in the book comes about through the speech or action of the angels. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters revelation 1. The revelation is the only book in the nt mentioning john as author. The revelation of john is the one book in the new testament that claims john as its author. Easyenglish is a system of simple english designed by wycliffe associates uk. Book of revelation explained scripture by scripture. You encounter these fantastic figures who play some role in the drama of the end, whether it be. We dont know what jesus looked like and this does not give us a description. In the poetic or allegorical view, the book of revelation isnt literal or historic. In the theology of the book of revelation, bauckham gives a different perspective on the end times.
Johns vision of the son of man is described in the scriptural revelation 1. Justin the martyr around 100 to 165 ac, irenaeus around 140 to 220 ac and the muratori canon end of 2 nd century. Outside of revelation, examples of apocalyptic literature in the bible are daniel chapters 712, isaiah chapters 2427, ezekiel chapters 3741, and zechariah chapters 914. In revelation, johns visions reveal that jesus has overcome evil by his. Book of revelation the last book of the new testament. The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the. It has been put together by paul s brother in law, steve bowler, of hudson, mass. The great red dragon of revelation, in any case, is clearly the embodiment of ultimate evil, but the main affirmation that johns vision makes is that this power has already been defeated. The reasons mentioned are doctrinal distinctions compared with john s other writings as well as the very simple language of the book. Watch our overview video on the book of revelation, which breaks. Oct 22, 2019 everything you wanted to understand about the book of revelation explained if the final book of the bible has ever left you scratching your head or wondering what to make of plagues and horsemen, your friendly nonprophet is here to help you read revelation as never before.
Jan 02, 2020 the description of the antichrist mentioned in daniel 9. The three introductory chapters of the book record johns testimony of the truthfulness of the revelation, johns instructions from the lord, and johns counsel to the seven branches of the church in asia. Revelation was written in the last decade of the first century ca. The literary genres of the book of revelation are an apocalypse, a prophecy, and an epistle or letter. Verses 911, however, do make sense if we know a little bit about roman history. Although containing many errors, this documentary clearly shows that johns book was intended for.
A simple outline for the book of revelation is found in revelation 1. Using interactive quizzes, fascinating facts, and stepbystep explanations, lahaye and parker explore each verse as they bring heavenly insights down to earth and provide practical applications to guide you in your faith journey. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse. Aug 04, 2009 stylometric analysis, a process which analyses an author s style of writing, shows that the book of revelation and john s gospel display more differences to each other than any other two books in. In the book of revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early christian community find their clearest and most complete expression. Its title is derived from the first word of the text, written in koine greek. The book of revelation was likely written between a. John the divine is an example of apocalyptic writing a form that delivers a message using symbols, images and numbers. It begins with john, on the island of patmos in the aegean sea, addressing a letter to the seven. Finally, dating revelation during neros reign does not allow time for johns ministry in asia minor to reach the point at which the authorities would have felt the need to exile him.
The nonprophets guide to the book of revelation todd. The following is the forward and a portion of a chapter from a forthcoming book which, in my view, falls in. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes like a flame of fire. A brief overview of the book of revelation the rise and.
This serves as a great summary to the book of revelation for those looking for a. The book of revelation, often called the revelation to john, or the apocalypse of john, is a book of the new testament that occupies a central place in christian eschatology. Christ tells john to write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. No other book of the new testament feels like revelation. In the theology of the book of revelation bauckham explicates how the sound interpretation of the theology of revelation must be based on the proper understanding of the imageries in its original context. The revelation is a very solemn book speaking much about divine judgments but it is also a.
The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse into. The book written within and without, and sealed with seven seals, revelation 5. And there has been much speculation about it some of it bordering on offthewall, but some of it serious and scholarly. The crowned conqueror on the white horse armed with a bow, revelation 6. Book of revelation overview insight for living ministries. You will understand what revelation says about the past, present, and future, and how it relates to the. The book of revelation also called the revelation of john or the revelation of st. Book of revelation overview church of jesus christ.
Revelation to john, last book of the new testament. President joseph fielding smith explained that these angels seem to fit the description of the angels spoken of in the parable of the wheat and the tares, matt. There are differences in style between revelation and john s other writings, but they are insignificant and do not preclude one man from writing both. The vision is also notable for being the only identifiable physical description of jesus in any form in the biblical canon.
The book of revelation in the bible is one of the more difficult books of the bible to understand. It is not an exact portrait of jesus, after all, jesus is a. The radical discipleship interpretation asserts that the book of revelation is best. Symbolic language, however, is one of the chief characteristics of apocalyptic literature, of which. Oh, and i love johnny cash the author of the best song ever written about johns revelation, the man comes around. After the return of the prophet from amherst, ohio, he resumed his translation of the scriptures. He describes himself as their brother in the family of god. The discipleapostle john, who followed jesus christ and witnessed his crucifixion, authored it. Book of revelation synonyms, book of revelation pronunciation, book of revelation translation, english dictionary definition of book of revelation. In their description of fire, ezekiel and isaiah express the power of god, and his anger against sin evil deeds. There is no convincing reason however why one should doubt the apostle john s authorship. Packed with engaging illustrations, timelines, and charts, hampsons userfriendly guide to the book of revelation demystifies confusing literary images. The discontinuity and lack of explanation is evident from the start, since the revealing angel mentioned in 1. It assumes that some events described in the book of revelation actually took place in johns day, but that other events will carry on in future history down to some later period of time, in fact.
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