Revelations from Revelation - Part 1

Currently I am teaching a Sunday morning Bible Study at my church through the book of Revelation.  While many cannot be there for all the exegetical gymnastics I am performing at least everyone can certainly benefit from some of the ideas and thoughts I am tumbling through.  In this series I will be relaying some of those thoughts and ideas that I have skimmed off the top. I hope they enrich your reading of the Bible.

John begins his letter to the churches in Asia Minor with a declaration about the source of his information, particularly that it is not from himself, but is a "Revelation of [from] Jesus Christ." Whatever involvement John has in relaying this revelation (passively or creatively) John's claim is that he is not the source of this river.  Rather, John claims that he is just in the flow of things because he says that he was in the Spirit (1:10).  It is from that posture that he received something from Jesus, which was given to Him by God, and it was signified (that is communicated through the use of symbols) to John by an angel.

Revelation then, invites its audience into a world to see things from God's perspectives, or more precisely from John's vision of God's perspective.  This invitation is not to be shunned, as many have done (myself included), but welcomed because a double blessing is proclaimed on both, the reader to the congregations, and those congregations who hear it.  These prophetic words were intended to speak powerfully to their audience, as their meaning had direct significance to their current situation for John declares "that the time is near."

So where does that leave us?  Though the impact of these words were directly for their 1st century audience, that does not mean that they cannot, and will not find significance for us today.  In fact, I believe that much of what John says will be important for us to hear.  Yet, something is required of us first.  Like John, we need to be open to the journey, taking the posture of humility by being in the Spirit in order to hear a word from God. This means being people of prayer, the word and worship.

So my challenge to everyone who begins the journey of this book (or any book in the Bible for that matter) is to pray that the you will have the posture required "to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

Looking forward to our next steps together.