A Revelation Invitation

An Introduction

“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3 ESV)

The book of Revelation is too often misinterpreted, misunderstood and misapplied. With all that confusion and frustration, many Christians have given up ever understanding it. Sadly, they brush it off as indecipherable. If that has been your experience, I feel for you. Maybe, you even feel a tinge of guilt for neglecting it. “Thanks for bringing it up,” you might be thinking. Seriously, have you ever felt this way? Doesn’t 2 Timothy 3:16 say that “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful”? Revelation … useful? Yes, it is! And, because the Spirit assures us that it’s useful, you and I ought to get a handle on it. Not only is there no justification for ignoring it, we turn our backs on the blessing that’s given in Revelation 1:3 (above). But, where do we even begin? You may reason, “I don’t have trouble understanding Matthew, Acts or Ephesians. Why should understanding Revelation require a Masters in Divinity?” Well, I have good news: you won’t have to go to seminary. Revelation’s usefulness will come to you easier than you initially feared. That goal is within reach of us all!

It’s not controversial to say that Revelation may be the most controversial book in the Bible. It has inspired so many fantastical and conflicting interpretations that it’s no wonder people give up ever understanding it. Who hasn’t been alarmed by the ominous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Who hasn’t wondered about the man behind the mysterious 666? We read of a lion, a dragon and beasts, oh my! What should we make of three frogs emerging from the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet? What will become of us in the great tribulation? Like any respectable Bible student, I have opinions (for what they’re worth) about those things. But that’s not what you need from me if you’re confused about this book or just getting started.

You and I both want to avoid getting sucked into groundless speculations about the future. There are plenty of them out there. Rather, we could really benefit from an understanding of how Revelation applies to our current circumstances. In previous attempts, you may have been turned off by tedious interpretations of mysterious metaphors and symbolic imagery. Much of the commentary that I’ve read seemed little more than the product of the interpreters’ overactive imaginations. We don’t need that. Some how, we need to grasp Revelation’s central, vital, faith-building message. There’s also the fear factor: the book is scary. But should it be?

I believe that your desire to understand Revelation should be rewarded, not discouraged. That goal is not as distant as you might feel. In my many years of wrestling with this great book, I have formulated seven (an appropriate number) principles that have guided me and those I teach to getting the most out of this amazing book. Any one of these principles alone will prepare you for a faith-building study. These principles are sound. They are straight-forward. They will equip you. Over the next couple of weeks, I will share these principles with you so that you too will be blessed by keeping what is in this book.

Father, I seek the promised blessing for hearing and keeping the words of this great prophecy. That blessing has seemed out of reach to me in the past. But you wouldn’t offer the blessing if comprehending Revelation was beyond me. Set me on a path to understand Revelation. Clear my confusion. Reward my effort. Give me success in grasping the power and wonder of this great book. Amen.

(Part 2 of “How to Read Revelation” is here.)