In the book “Revelations of Love”, Julian Norwich talks about her visions and revelations. It starts with her asking God for three wishes- to experience christ’s passion, face an illness, and receive three wounds. When she was 30 she fell very ill, almost to the point of death. On the seventh night of her illness, a priest displayed a crucifix in front of her. By this time, she did not believe she would recover and thought death was shortly upon her. However, all of a sudden she became healed and started to experience a series of visions of God on the cross. She said these visions occurred over a course of hours. She felt as if she was actually there with Mary watching Jesus. She also talked about how original sin is essential. If sinning did
According to this view, the events in Revelation are not tied to any specific events historically or in future. It reduces John’s prophesies to a one simple ‘big picture’ idea about the continuing struggle between good and evil (Gundry, 2012). Though there is some truth to this summary, the idealistic approach is heading towards the mindset that Boxall warned his readers about. The idealistic view seems to emphasize the analogy aspect of Revelation, as if it was only written to hold devotional value. This approach would be good to use to gain a simple understanding of the overall theme of Revelation, but should not be the sole perspective used to interpret the book.
Comparing and contrasting different written works is a key aspect to discovering truths about the Christian Bible. When we compare and contrast canonical books, we can learn many things about the theology and context in which these books were written. Today, we will be comparing two books from the New Testament: Hebrews and Revelation. While Hebrews is often referred to as an epistle, it is actually more similar to a sermon. Revelation is a book that describes a supposed “vision” from the author John. John wrote this vision down on the instruction of a heavenly figure. While we compare these books, we will specifically focus on their relation to Judaism and their positions on Judaism. We will examine three major difference and/or similarities: Their views on the relevance of Jewish History, the superiority of Christ, and, the Second coming of the Messiah.
John, the proclaimed author of the Book of Revelation, writes intricately about the events that will transpire when the end of the world has come. John expresses messages to seven churches, heaven’s activities, and the Lamb opening seven seals. He depicts the consequences following the sounding of seven trumpets and the pouring of seven bowls. John mentions numerous times that humans will be judged at the throne for their actions. He stresses the penalties of humans who will not proceed to heaven, but will instead die a second death. He describes heaven’s wondrous beauty, and how Jesus himself, promising he will return to Earth soon, verifies that these words are true.
In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards created the emotion of fear by using imagery and figurative language to persuade his audience. He used imagery and figurative language so the wrath of God is more fearsome and gave you a mental picture of hell in your head.
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.
Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield had an indirect impact on the American Revolution due the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening was a revival of a person’s personal spirituality sparked by Whitefield and Edwards; which de-emphasized the church. The revolution preached similar messages regarding criticism and tensions of authority. Without these two men, the American Revolution would not have happened as early as it did, if it all.
Bonhoeffer, Dietrick. The Cost of Discipleship, New York,NY 10022: The Macmillan Company, Published 1959. 344 pp. $1.95
"Revelation" is a short story by Flannery O'Connor. It was published in 1965 in her short story collection Everything That Rises Must Converge. O'Connor finished the collection during her final battle with lupus. She died in 1964, just before her final book was published. A devout Roman Catholic, O'Connor often used religious themes in her work.
In Kate Chopin’s novel, The Awakening a wife and a mother of two, Edna Pontellier, discovers her desires as a woman to live life to the fullest extent and to find her true self. Eventually, her discovery leads to friction between friends, family, and the dominant values of society. Through Chopin's use of Author’s craft and literary elements, the readers have a clear comprehension as to what the author is conveying.
Second, the books of Daniel and Revelation contain prophecies that point to the same event. Many Biblical scholars approach the interpretation of the books of Daniel and Revelation differently (Nelson 1982). For the book of Daniel, the majority of scholars share similar interpretation. This is because interpretations of dream or vision are included in the book. As for the book of Revelation, it contains various symbolic things and beings but there is not much interpretation for dreams or visions included in it. That is why there are several approaches to interpret Revelation in Christian community. Because of several approaches, I would like to focus only to the approach that is held by the majority of Seventh-day Adventists such as Uriah Smith and Ellen G. White who showed strong and clear connection between the books of Daniel and Revelation. Seventh-day Adventist pioneers such as Uriah Smith
Throughout the book of Revelation, we see through Johns visions how God will fulfill his promises in the second coming. He beings the chapter by saying, “Just as God fulfilled his promises in the first coming of Jesus, so he will fulfill his promises about his second coming. Jesus will come again and complete God’s eternal plan of salvation; he will introduce the perfected kingdom” (147). At the end of Revelation, we see a glimpse of how magnificent the second coming of Christ will be. Those who are saved, will never experience pain, sadness, or death ever again; Christians will be reunited with the Father. While all of this is yet to come, we must remain faithful to God and anticipate his second
In John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion he spends a great deal of time expounding his doctrine of God's Divine providence in all of creation. He explains not only how God continually governs the laws of nature, but also how God governs man's actions and intentions to bring about His own Divine Will. Calvin believes that God's providence is so encompassing in creation that even a man's own actions, in many ways, are decreed by God. Because of this belief there arises the question, "Does Calvin leave room for the free will of man?"
10. What is the pastoral value of the vision in Revelation 14:14-20 of John’s readers?
Little is known about Julian of Norwich. She does, however, state that in May 1373, at the age of 30, she became gravely ill and on the brink of death. It was during this illness God granted her a series of 16 visions that were rooted in a vivid awareness of Christ’s passion. These visions were later recorded in two texts, which are commonly known as the Short Text and the Long Text or as A Vision and A Revelation. The former can be dated to 1370-80 and the later composed in 1390-1400.
Francis fell to the ground filled with joy, but he did not really understand what meaning this vision might have. He then rose and reflected. It is then that the stigmata began to appear on his own body. According to the Assisi Compliation, written after 1250, Francis having arrived at La Verna, was praying for God to let him know his will when he saw birds of every kind come and perch on his little cell, each singing in its turn, which he greatly admired and which consoled him. And, as he was wondering about the meaning of this miracle, he was answered interiorly that God would give him many consolations in this place. After which: “Among other graces, hidden or manifest, which the Lord sent to him in the visions of the Seraph which filled his soul with consolation and brought him extremely close to God for the rest of his life.