A Revelation Invitation

A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as Dissident Disciples, by Scot McKnight with Cody Matchett, Zondervan Reflective, 2023.

Revelation records a timeless battle between two cities: Babylon and new Jerusalem. It’s a battle between two lords: The Lord of lords, Jesus, and the lord of the empire, the emperors of Rome. It’s a battle between hidden forces: angels and those in heaven against the dragon and his many-headed beasts (or wild things), and armies on both sides. (pp 13-14)

John designs this book for the seven churches so they will enter the battle with the dragon as allegiant witnesses who live out the life of Christ in Babylon. He did not write so we would speculate on when, where, and for how long. He wrote for the seven churches, to fire their imaginations and to inspire them with courage to walk in the way of the Lamb. (p 162)

Our goal in this book, however, is to learn to read Revelation through the lens of Babylon’s timeless presence in the world to understand how Christians are to be allegiant witness to Jesus amid Babylons. (p 220)

Revelation is written to shape disciples of Jesus into dissidents who can discern the dominant influence of empire (Babylon) and who have the courage to follow the way of the Lamb in a world run by the dragon. (p 227)

This is not a commentary on Revelation. It is rather a theology of political discipleship rooted in Revelation and how best to read it. (p 293)

It’s not often that a fresh book is written on Revelation, a subject for which thousands of books have already been produced. There are so many complicated and conflicting approaches expounded in the myriad of Revelation books that you want to throw up your hands. Don’t throw up your hands. Instead, read Revelation for the Rest of Us. McKnight and Matchett’s refreshing examination of Revelation is (1) engagingly written on a level that most Christians can understand, (2) soundly interpreted within Revelation’s historical and biblical contexts, and (3) straightforwardly organized around Revelations central purpose and themes. It’s focus is squarely where it should be—on the big picture as it applies to living with Babylon in every generation. As is quoted above, the book is not a commentary, that is, the book does not explain each chapter and verse of Revelation. Rather, the authors explain concepts, introduce you to characters and stress themes so effectively that you will learn how to read Revelation. This approach is so much more beneficial that you may begin interpreting the book without the need for complicated and detailed commentaries. It alerts Christians to some of the contemporary perils of modern, premillenial, speculative and predictive interpretations. It also warns against the seductions of modern Babylons in light of our worship of the Lamb. Because the Lamb has conquered the dragons and his “wild things”, we will victoriously reign with him.

If you are new to Revelation and are looking for a book to help you grasp its significance, this is a great book to start with. Even if you are versed in Revelation’s imagery and mystery, this book will ground your understanding even further.