DID YOU EVER READ someone else’s mail?
When you did – not if – did you take it personal?
If the writer called the reader something nasty, let’s say: “Babylon, Mother of Whores,” (Revelation 17:5), would you figure he’s talking about you – even though you live in Des Moines?
No offense to readers in Des Moines, a wonderful city with nice shopping malls.
I’ve been working in the last book of the Bible for a few days, the Book of Revelation. There’s a line in the intro that I think a lot of readers skate past:
“I, John, am writing this letter. I am sending it to the seven churches in Asia Minor” (Revelation 1:4).
Asia Minor, by the way, was a territory in the Roman Empire: part of Turkey.
He wasn’t writing to us. If he was, he didn’t bother mentioning us.
There’s another line many miss:
“The time is near when all of this will happen” (Revelation 1:4).
In case readers missed that, John said it again at the end of the book:
“Do not seal up the words of the prophecy in this book. These things are about to happen” (Revelation 22:10)
That was someone else’s mail 2,000 years ago.
So, why do some people who read the Book of Revelation link John’s bizarre visions to CNN’s Breaking News?
Some of the ways we study the Bible and practice our faith hang on single words that we can translate any which way. This, perhaps, is one of those times.
Bible experts debate the word that gets translated as near, about to happen, soon. They say the Greek word can also mean suddenly. So whatever’s coming might not come soon, but when it comes you won’t have time to duck.
How comfortable are we with building our understanding of an entire book of the Bible on one flip-flopper of a word that flips one way for some smart scholars and flops another way for other smart scholars?
Does it seem smart?
That’s a question.
And if the letter is written to seven churches within a 100-mile (160 km) radius of Ephesus in what is now western Turkey, why are we linking it to news halfway around the world into our neck of the woods?
That’s another question.
This is not a test. But it is a query. If you have a minute to think, how about sharing your thoughts.
There are respectable push-back responses to these questions. I’m not recommending one style of interpreting Revelation over another. But I am asking you to think for a moment about the verses I’ve quoted because I believe they go in a direction that would surprise many Christians.
So what do you think?
I won’t critique you. I’ll thank you.
Two points. 1) I believe our Lord intended for the Bible to be read and studied down through the generations. Christ himself said, “My words will never pass away.” Obviously, not everything in the NT is a quote from Jesus Christ, but am certain you know what I mean. 2) History repeats. It is entirely possible the Book of Revelation is valid to us even today.
Thanks, Tom. Certainly another Roman Empire-sort-of nation could certainly gobble up the civilized world. It time, I would expect humanity to unite in one fashion or another, for governing purposes.
You brought up a good point…Personally I think the historical interpretation of Revelation makes more sense than all the Futurist (Dispensational and Other views). I get a kick out of Sunday morning Television with all the prophecy pundits coming up with end-time scenarios. However, with that said, I still believe from Scripture that Christ will come back a second time. Revelation shows Christ’s Kingdom victorious. I love this book very much — it gives me great hope and really the only book of the Bible that shows Christ in all his glory!!!!
I would like to give you a plug Steve….your book “The Complete Guide to Bible Prophecy” does a great job on this subject…your section 4 gives a nice commentary on the Book of Revelation — I highly recommend it!
I can handle a few minutes of folks like Jack Van Impe and his dearly beloved Roxella telling me how the Broadcast News tracks with Revelation. But I think Jack’s time would be better spent playing his accordion. He’s good at it. And there’s nothing flaky about a good accordion player.