Chapter One: Revelation Itself

The book of Revelation was written by the apostle John, in an apocalyptic literature style. It consists of a series of prophecies about the end times, when Jesus will return and triumph over all the evil residing in the world. Its purpose is to bring hope and encouragement to Christians so that they will continue watching for the return and victory of Jesus Christ, but it is also a warning of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure. The depiction of the cosmic battle that takes place both in heaven and on earth, symbolic language, and introduction of surreal

The Book of Revelation consist of epistle, prophetic, and apocalyptic visions that foretells events that will and has come to pass. Chapter 4 introduces the prophetic part of the book where John is called up to heaven, sees the throne of God and other heavenly presences.

The authors set the groundwork in the first two chapters for the reader to have comprehension and understanding for the rest of the book. Therefore, the basis of the book is helping the reader to interpret and study the Bible. Fee and Stuart thoroughly discuss the process of interpretation. They stress the importance of correctly understanding what the reader is saying. Fee and Stuart stress that correct interpretation “brings relief to the mind as well as a prick or prod to the heart”

In chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation, we see Christ enter John’s vision in the form of the slain lamb, a picture of Christ sacrifice (Rev 5:6). In the ‘new song’ of the saints, the lamb is said to have “ransom[ed] for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation’ (5:9) and, later in the chapter, that “…every creature in heaven and on earth…” now sings praise to the lamb (5:13). These verses speak of God’s victory already having been fulfilled in Christ’s sacrifice in a way that leaves the reader with a vision of the eschatological hope of the Christian faith as being both fulfilled, but yet to be completed, a conception which falls within an inaugurated understanding of eschatology. As such, the ‘end of the world’ in Revelation can be considered as having already occurred in Christ’s death as evil was defeated and the New Creation initiated, while simultaneously not complete as the forces of Satan; the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot, still function in the cosmology of the First Creation. This understanding of the eschatological reality is an important aspect of John’s text, as it is through this that he is able to identify the dangers to the Church as well as encourage and strengthen its faith.

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1 KJV). This familiar passage of scripture recorded in the Gospel of John indicates the deity and or preexistence of Jesus Christ prior to time as we know it and before the creation of earth. The strongest proof that the Lord Jesus Christ is God are the divine attributes, divine names, divine works, divine worship, divine claims and divine relationship ascribed to Him.

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening recounts Edna Pontellier’s journey to self-discovery and independence, in a society where women are supposed to be proper and dependent. In chapter VI of The Awakening, Kate Chopin uses imagery of light and the ocean to describe her awakening and foreshadow the end of Edna’s journey to independence, and ultimately, her death.

1The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. – Revelation 1:1-3

While the Bible may speak about “The Great Apostasy”, it also makes it clear that we are to stand against such things. In the Book of Revelation we are repeatedly admonished to repent, remain faithful, to persevere, and to overcome (Rev. 2 :5, 10, 16, 17, 22, 26; 3 :3, 5, 12, 19, 21). For Americans this also means that we are to stand against a government that has usurped God’s proper role in our lives in ways too numerous to mention. For those who still believe in one God, it is incumbent upon us to worship only Him as the giver of our rights and liberties and to stand against all imposters who would replace Him – including those in government. And we must understand what the Apostle Peter and other apostles understood when they were told

John wrote to the seven churches explaining the need for a relationship with Christ. After speaking to the seven churches that are in the Roman province of Asia, the book of Revelation moves forward in the prophecy. Revelation 4:1 tells us that we moving forward: “After this” and “what must take place after this.” The point is to show us that the information concerning the seven churches has stopped. A new series of images is beginning. John sees a door standing open in heaven. The voice that spoke to John at the beginning that sounded like a trumpet. Christ is speaking to John and calling him into heaven. John does not actually go into heaven, as we see in verse 2. John is having a new vision and John is going to see into the throne room of heaven. As we are taken into this vision, we must visualize the picture before us. Try and picture this in your head and see what is going on in heaven (http://thebookofrevelationmadeclear.com/revelation-bible-study/view-of-heaven.html)

The book of Revelation, written in c. 95 A.D. by John the apostle, was written to Christians who were facing increasing hostility from the Roman Empire, which was beginning to enforce the cult of emperor worship. John had been exiled to the island of Patmos for his activities as a Christian missionary. The book of Revelation is considered apocalyptic literature, a kind of writing that is highly symbolic, but the book itself provides a number of clues for its own interpretation. There are several purposes of the book of Revelation, including encouraging believers by showing the final outcome of God 's plan, showing the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and revealing Christ in all his glory. John writes to encourage the faithful to resist the demands of emperor worship and hold fast to God 's promises: that the final showdown between God and Satan is imminent, the believers are sealed against spiritual harm and will be vindicated when Christ returns, the wicked will be forever destroyed, and God 's people will enter an eternity of glory and blessedness. In this vision that John receives, he is shown many things about the final judgment to come and the establishment of the Messiah 's kingdom. The vision begins with Jesus giving a command for John to write letters to seven churches addressing problems that are common to most churches across the world (chapters 2-3). Chapter 5 introduces a book, or scroll, with seven seals that represent seven judgments. This begins the

The pericope I chose for my close reading assignment comes from Revelation chapter 22 verses 1-6. When reading this pericope it quickly obvious the genre is apocalyptic. In the few short verses there is evidence of an apocalyptic genre such as the means of revelation. Verse 5 says, “ Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal.” This pericope is apocalyptic because verse 1 is just one example of the means of revelation. The genre is also apocalyptic because it has examples of determinism. The restoration of the New Jerusalem is history moving forward towards a conclusion. The last evidence of this pericope being apocalyptic literature is the division of history into the Old and New Ages. The entire pericope is about the coming of the New Jerusalem, which is brining the old age to a close.

Equal rights, freedom, and worth of all persons have been a struggle for centuries for human beings. Over the years, the struggle for power, the fear of differences, and loss of control are all common factors that separate us from one another. It is through the blessing of Continuing Revelation, individually and in community, we prayerfully listen to understand God’s will for our lives, the church, and creation more completely.

As mentioned in the preface the Council of Trent and the First Vatican council wished to write a document that expressed the divine revelation and that by hearing the message in the revelation the “world may believe, by believing it may hope, and by hoping it may love”. In chapter one Revelation Itself it explains how God has chosen to reveal himself to the world. Through Christ his flesh will be visible on earth. Christ will live amongst men and serve as both the mediator and fullness of all revelation. God will speak to the people through his son, Christ. One interesting point made was “Jesus Christ, therefore, the word made flesh, was sent as “a man to men.” He “speaks the words of God”, and completes the work of salvation which his father

When will the end come? It is human nature for humans to ask questions. Many of these questions are without answers and there is no possible way to come up with one. A common question that plagues the human race is “When will the world end?” For thousands of years, astrologers and psychics have been trying to come up with clues to when it all will end. There is a source, the Bible, which aids humans, specifically Christians, in trying to come up with some answers. Many places in the Bible such as Revelations, Ezekiel, Matthew, Daniel, and I Corinthians all give some clues to how and when the end of the world will come. Two articles that give some insight on this subject are “Visions or Heaven, Dreams of the End” by

In K. Essex’s article aptly named, The Rapture and the Book of Revelation, Essex outlines four promising facts regarding Revelation 3:10. He states,