Grace, Faith & Life

I begin this series on David’s book with three myths about Revelation:But first a question: What “myths” do you think need to be announced about reading the Book of Revelation?#1: Revelation is about us.The first principle for Bible reading is that it was first for them, the original audience. Begin there. John wrote this book to seven real churches in the 1st Century.#2: What Revelation reveals is our future.It opens with the word “prophecies” Rev 1:3. Prophecy as prediction leads to three approaches: historicist, futurist, and preterist all 1st Century stuff. If prophecies are not predictions so much as word-of-God to those churches, this whole approach is shelved. They are oracles to those seven churches. They were designed to evoke response to God, not reveal secrets about the future.#3: Revelation is written in mysterious code.But John says the book is a “revelation” or an “unveiling” or an “apocalypse,” which means now the truth can be known not, now I’ll muddle things up with clever symbols. David’s right; this book was meant to be understood and it was — by author and audience. The book lifts the veil on what’s happening then … that is, it opens up the curtain for all to see what’s really going on on Rome’s stage.

via Three Myths about the Book of Revelation.