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Understanding Revelation: A Call to Endurance Amidst Opposition and Compromise

This overview of the Book of Revelation explores its primary themes and symbolism. Written to Christians in Asia Minor, it addresses persecution and the danger of compromising with Roman imperial power. John uses vivid imagery, referencing the Exodus plagues, to expose the true nature of Rome and its judgment. The numbers in Revelation are deeply symbolic, highlighting God's perfect plan. Ultimately, Revelation is not just about end times; it encourages believers to worship God amidst trials and assures them of God's vindication against oppressive powers.

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Understanding Revelation: A Call to Endurance Amidst Opposition and Compromise

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Presentation Transcript

  1. New Testament BCM 103Dr. Dave MathewsonGordon College/Denver Seminary

  2. Intro. To Revelation • Written primarily W. Asia Minor • Persecution was a problem but a larger problem was accommodation to the Roman empire, emperor worship. • Problem was more at a local level • Expose the true nature of Rome so Christians won’t give in to it • John shows where history is going so they can see Rome for what it really is

  3. Political cartoon—refers to political events but describes them in symbolic language • Graphic, exaggerated symbolism often coming out of the OT

  4. The Plagues of Revelation • 3 sets of 7 plagues: seals, trumpets, bowls Trumpets and bowls: water becomes blood; sores; darkness; locusts; frogs • Where have you heard this before? • The Exodus: water becomes blood; sores; darkness; locusts; frogs • Point of plagues that you will recall just as God judged in the exodus he will judge an evil empire now--Rome

  5. Numbers in Revelation Numbers in Revelation: 3, 4, 7, 12, 1000 symbolically understood Why 7 plagues?—7=completion or perfection 12 may go back to 12 tribes/apostles (144 too) symbolic of people of God 666: correspond of 1 short of 777; probably also had reference to Nero many years before as true color of Roman rule, opposition to God’s people by human power

  6. Revelation 12-13 Story of a Dragon about to devour a child and gets two friends to help, get world to worship them Gen 3.14-16 her offspring crush your head • Serpent (12.3, 9) • Woman and seed (12.1, 5-6, 14-17) • Pain in childbirth (12.2, 5) • Crush serpent’s head (13.3) • John had Gen. 3 in mind; what you face is age old conflict going back to Gen. 3->Rome

  7. Revelation 21-22 Prostitute, Babylon Bride, NewJerusalem What are you going to identify Babylon with in first century? As God judged evil empires in the past he would judge Rome

  8. New Jerusalem • 1) New Jerusalem imagery is symbolic of the people themselves—the perfected people of God, all multiples of 12—people of God • It portrays our final destiny as a very physical one, not disembodied gnostic one not floating around with harps on clouds • That’s a hope worth sacrificing for—sin, war etc. stripped away, garden of Eden

  9. The Message of Revelation • Revelation is more than just about the end times. • Revelation is a call to worship God and the Lamb no matter what the cost!—resist compromise with proud/arrogant powers • Revelation is a call to endure – God will vindicate his suffering people!

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