REDISCOVERING REVELATION

The New Testament Gospels and Epistles contain teachings that were given to the early church in the historical context in which Jesus and the first apostles lived. Their statements often explicitly refer to the events which occurred or were expected in that day. It is commonly accepted that to understand the scriptures correctly we must read them as the recipients would have received and understood them. This means understanding the historical context in which they lived, the Hebrew idioms and language styles in which the scriptures were given and the Old Testament passages from which they were drawn. These factors make up the mental framework by which the early disciples and church understood what they were taught. Approaching the book of Revelation is no different. It was an epistle written to seven churches which then existed in Asia Minor. Our first step in understanding Revelation must be to ask what it meant to those who received it. It is only after we have embarked on this first step that we can ask what lessons from Revelation may be applied to our own time. Revelation is often used as a speculative tool in predicting end-time events before the second coming of Jesus. These predictions have always been in error and therefore most preachers today shy away from using the epistle in a profound way. However, when Revelation becomes clear to us, as it was understood in the first century of the church, its applications and encouragements become a valuable resource. This book, Rediscovering Revelation, was written for this purpose; that in understanding the epistle we may all benefit from its lessons in the way God intended. He didn't preserve the epistle for us to relegate to non-use, but to reveal the gospel and victory of Christ throughout the church age. This book is not a verse by verse treatment of Revelation. It covers the intended themes of the book. For a more detailed commentary and for follow up study, please see the Further Reading section at the back of this book. This book doesn't have all the answers on the questions it looks at, nor does it cover all scripture says on the issue. However, we do hope you will allow it to provoke your reflections on the gospel of Christ and lead you to further study. Rediscovering Revelation begins with an appraisal of a common belief system that impacts many people today, known as dispensationalism. This appraisal is necessary to prepare the reader for what Revelation teaches. The church is not a temporary dispensation. Jesus and His church is the reason for creation and the theme of the whole of the Old and New Testaments. Our prayer is that the glory of Christ will be more greatly revealed in and through you and those you love, to encourage the church in the days in which we live. “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” The blessings of Christ's rule through the church shall extend to all nations on earth in the years ahead.