Revelation

Background  Extreme approaches to Revelation:  Genre – Apocalyptic, Letter, Prophecy  Political cartoon metaphor  5 features of Apocalyptic: SAVED  Symbolism, pictorial language  Angels, heavenly messenger mediated  Visions, dreams  End of all things—cosmic in scope  Dualism: good/evil; light/darkness  Authorship – John – Rev. 1:1

Background (skip)  Literary similarities to the Gospel of John  Logos--word  Lamb of God  Christ pierced  Overcome  Bridegroom  Marturia/witness (cf. martyr)

Interpretative Approaches to Revelation  Preteristic View –1 st century focus  Description/definition  Advantages  Disadvantages  Idealist View – conceptual of all times  Description/definition  Advantages  Disadvantages

Interpretative Approaches to Revelation  Historical View – through church history  Description/definition  Advantages  Disadvantages  Futuristic View – end times focus  Description/definition  Advantages  Disadvantages  The truth on Revelation

Premillennial Time Line Church Age years Millennium 1000 years Eternal State: New Jerusalem Christ’s coming: Rapture? Pre-, Mid-, Post-Trib Tribulation 7 years

Characteristics  Symbolism  OT Orientation  One world concept – Globalization, evil trinity, mark of the Beast--666  Divine Judgment resulting in world disasters (7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls)  Christ-centered  Song and worship  New world order

7 Churches (Rev 2-3) structure  Approaches: Historical 1 st century, Progressive Church History, Omni- temporal/spiritual/typical  Pattern  Vision of Christ  Commendation  Condemnation  Advice  Curse & blessing  Example – Ephesus, Laodicea

Bouncing through 4-19  7 Seals, 7 Trumpet, 7 Bowl judgments  Sequential  Overlapping  Simultaneous  Future through the eyes of first century imagery

Millennium  Rev 20  Pre-millennial: Christ returns, sets up 1000 reign on earth, Satan bound  Amillennial: reign of Christ = Church  Post-millennial: World gets better and better until the reign of God comes naturally

Message of Revelation  God is in control of the future  Satan counterfeits and looses  Right triumphs in the end after a long period of chaos  There are tears in heaven 21:4  Jesus is coming again– Our response to this purifying hope: 1 Jn 3:2f  Christ with Sword--Rev. 19  Laodicea Rev. 3:16f

The End  Rev. 21:3-4 Emmanuel, together forever  Rev 21:22-24 no temple  Rev. 22:12-13 Christ’s coming  John’s awareness he is writing Scripture 22:18f canonical formula (cf. Deut. 4:2)  Behold the lamb of God who takes away:  Gen. 3, Abraham, David, Child, Servant, birth, life, death, resurrection and coming  NT for the rest of your life