In the late 1980s, REM released their hit song, "It's The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)." The song really has nothing to do with the end of the world but is simply a revved-up rock 'n roll tune with catchy melodies and clever lyrics. But the idea that our generation may be the last generation - that we may be witnesses or even participants in the climax of history, is a seductive thought for many and has had a long history going back at least a thousand years, if not longer. Many who hold such a view do so based on their interpretation of the Bible, especially the final book, Revelation. But is Revelation really a roadmap to the end of days? Is it some kind of code that will unlock the secrets of the future? By studying this book of apocalyptic prophesy, can we really determine how God will bring to fruition the final restoration of all things?
Over the next several weeks this blog will dive into the book of Revelation. We will seek to understand this amazing literary masterpiece in its original late 1st century context, and we will try to discover what this 2,000-year-old message might still have to say to us today. I think this will be a fun ride and I hope you'll join us for it.
But before we go further, let's lay out a few suggestions that might help keep us from straying too far from the central message of the book. First of all, let's consider what Revelation is not.
What Revelation is Not
The book of Revelation was not written to give its readers a detailed roadmap of the end times. It is not history being written before it occurs. It does explore God's ultimate purposes for creation and his people, but it does not do so in any kind of predictive "Nostradamus-esque" manner. So then, what is this apocalyptic prophesy all about?
What Revelation Is
Revelation is a complex, but understandable late first century document written to a specific audience of believers who made up churches in the Eastern Roman Empire in what is today Western Turkey. These believers were soon to undergo intense persecution for their faith and many of these Christians were wrestling with how far they might go to accommodate the wider culture around them, while still maintaining their allegiance to Jesus Christ. The prophet John writes these believers to exhort them to remain faithful to Jesus and to avoid the idolatry that was so common around them. John does reveal God's ultimate future for the world in this writing, but he does so in ways that are firmly rooted in the book's original ancient context. For this writing to make a difference for John's first readers, it had to make sense to them. Throughout this blog series, we will seek to understand how they would have heard these words and then hopefully, it will make sense for us as well.
Revelation is one of the most stunning and exciting works in all of Christian scripture. It captivates the reader with its images, and it evokes a sense of awe and wonder with the scope and scale of its themes. It is at once intriguing and at times, even a little scary. But at its heart it is a message that should motivate and encourage followers of the Lamb. There will be some ups and downs for sure, but I hope you'll come along for the ride! - Shay
