Revelations is Not a Difficult Book

[mark kennedy]

The Book of Revelations

Bible expositors can complicate a tuna fish sandwich, this is not a complicated book. It's in three parts that consisting of 7 chapters, the first has the 7 seals at the heart of the emphasis, chapters 1-7. The second has the trumpets, chapters 8-14. The third are the vials of wrath, chapters 15-21. Chapter 22 is the eternal state. In chapter 11, the center of the book also happens to be the middle of the tribulation. The only significant reference to a timeline is found in chapter 11 and it's 42 months, a quick cross reference to the 70 weeks prophecy in Danial and mystery solved. There are a series of judgments at the beginning of the tribulation period, right in the middle then towards the end. They are most likely happening over months rather then years and are followed by periods where God relents for a time, probably out of mercy, knowing some will repent.

The personage of the Beast and Babylon is in four parts, easily deciphered by doing an exposition of Danial 2 and 7. None of it's complicated, the dragon is Satan and the woman is Israel, the 12 stars are a dead give away. The locusts from the abyss are demons, Hal Lindsey has suggested they might be helicopters, which is an interesting thought, but I think they are just demons. This book is drenched in Levitical imagery and it makes a wonderful spring board into the writings of the prophets.

I would like to do an actual exposition of the book of Revelations without all the convoluted banter over raptures and allegorical interpretations. It isn't that difficult, compared to Romans, Hebrews or Matthew it's a walk in the park. If I were going to advise a new Christian on which books to read first I would say John's Gospel, Ephesians and then with a good outline and summary, the Revelation is one you should do your first study on that includes cross referencing.

That's it folks, I like word studies but other then that a simple straight forward exposition. I'm just tired of chasing banter in circles, hoping to get an actual exposition going. Verse by verse is just not necessary, in fact I think it's a bad idea for this book. Just an overview, some word studies and an occasional cross reference. Any takers? I just ask one thing, could the trollers leave this one alone, I would rather the thread didn't get derailed with tedious rudeness. That's if it gets started at all.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[vinsight4u]

nvm

 

[mark kennedy]

It is complicated for those not carefully reading it word by word, as John
had to make the mystery of God within it that ends at the 7th trumpet. It ends in the way the OT prophets told it would - early. God would call back/ repent of some of the evil that was to come upon Israel. After this, He will
get ready -remember - the sins of Babylon and soon punish her with the
vials of His wrath full strength. This time will end as "It is done" Everything
will come as in none of that section will be called back. God is not going to
have mercy and it won't end -till the great hail comes.

I'm not sure what any of that means, I was hoping for something a bit more straight forward. For instance, the letters to the churches are probably the only part of the book with significance for us. I did a fascinating study on those churches and the Roman road that connects them but I doubt seriously we are going to get to discuss that here. By the way, I have read it carefully and it's not that difficult, if your into an actual exposition let me know.

 

[vinsight4u]

nvm

 

[vinsight4u]

nvm

 

[mark kennedy]

After the letters to the seven churches is when John saw a new vision.
This means that he is no longer being given a direct message to a
specific church. We can tell when new visions begin by the way John wrote
them down. Rev. 4:1 After this I looked.....7:1 "And after these things I saw..." This type of scenario happens several other times in Revelation.
after this - means after one vision ended
after these things -means after other visions ended

That's about what I expected but ok, we can talk about this, or at least try to. The seven churches are the churches in Asia Minor, Ephesus had planted six other churches and became the hub of the mission to the Gentiles. If you followed the Roman road through Asia Minor you would encounter those cites in the order they are listed and following the road around you would end up back in Ephesus. This was the most extensive evangelism project of the early church in the first century, the message is to the church represented by these seven cities. The Lamp that appears is a menorah, it was a seven pronged lampstand that stood in the Holy Place. It had seven prongs but it was one lamp and there is only one church.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[mark kennedy]

In Revelation chapter 10, it seems that John was just jotting things down as
the visions came, but then something happens-the seven thunders and we get told about the mystery of God. This mystery will end at the 7th trumpet.
When the 7th angel shall begin to sound, not pour a vial, but sound. We are told that this mystery will end as was declared by the prophets. The prophets foretold that the punishment against Israel would have some of it
called back before it was over. God would repent of the evil at a specific
point in time. He would have mercy. In the 7th trumpet, the ark is seen that would have the mercy seat on it. John had not yet been shown it until
this trumpet sound. He was not shown that part of the temple before as to
the inside of it. Back in Rev. 7, there are men serving in His temple, so this trumpet must sound first, as clear to the 7th trumpet sounding-they are not seen there.

Revelation 15:8
"And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His
power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
/This is the time of John watching the events of the seven trumpets. He
knew that at the end of that time, men can enter into the temple.

The Ark of the Covenant was taken to heaven just before the Babylonian invasion because of idolatry. The Shekinah glory of God went with it, God never returned to a Temple made with hands until the Incarnation. The angels of the Apocalypse are an interesting topic but not an expositional challenge.

 

[vinsight4u]

nvm

 

[JackRT]

Revelation (it is not "Revelations") is a most difficult book for a modern Christian to read with understanding. It is an allegory written to a certain group of Christians living in a much different culture two thousand years ago. It is loaded with the imagery and symbolism of the ancient Jewish and Mediterranean world. Without an understanding of all that it is an incredibly difficult read, so much so that even modern day bible scholars cannot agree on all the meanings.

 

[vinsight4u]

nvm

 

[Douggg]

Revelation (it is not "Revelations") is a most difficult book for a modern Christian to read with understanding.

It is not the book of Revelations. Mark has been told that numerous times. But it doesn't matter, to him. And it is the most difficult book in the bible for anyone to read with understanding.

 

[Brian45]

The Ark of the Covenant was taken to heaven just before the Babylonian invasion because of idolatry.

According to 2 Maccabees Jeremiah hid the Ark in a cave on Mt Nebo