by John Leonardson

Created on: April 12, 2007   Last Updated: May 11, 2007

Revelation Made Relevant
Introduction
Does the book of Revelation have to be shrouded in mystery? Do we need to have charts and guides from self-appointed experts/interpreters to gain meaning from this text? Let's take another look using an historical and biblical perspective that should open Revelation to practical use.
I've asked many people, including pastors and scholars, why our view of the end times makes a difference. Does it matter to our everyday life if our eschatological interpretation is correct or not? I haven't been able to come up with a reason why it would make a difference. God is certainly not controlled or limited by man's ideas or his understanding of biblical revelation. The Lord has a timetable for certain events, I'm sure, but His reality is not limited in any way to our simple time-space continuum. God knows all about beginnings and endings and operates in dimensions we are incapable of understanding yet. Scripture says we see through a glass darkly.

So why should we study Revelation or any prophetic book? There are practical reasons and spiritual reasons. There is a lot of meat we can pull from prophesy without creating controversy. We should be open to the Lord revealing all kinds of mysteries, in fact, He delights in keeping certain things from the person who doesn't truly seek Him out.
The basic idea of scripture works out by us having a relationship with Jesus and to be doing what He wants us to do. Should we live in expectancy that soon we will be whisked away from earth when Jesus comes back? If that is how it happens, that's fine, but what is Jesus coming back for? Is He coming for a triumphant bride or a weak and trembling people running from the devil's control? Isn't God's plan A from Adam's creation to take over the earth and subdue it? Do you think the Lord changed His mind?
666
Let's take one example. You've all heard or read all kinds of ideas on what 666 means. It's the number of Antichrist and supposed to be anybody from Henry Kissinger to the Pope. All kinds of theories and interpretations have presented themselves.
If there is now a living Antichrist who is secretly growing in power and being groomed to take over the world? How about we cut through all the guessing and take a practical look. The number 6 has always been thought to be the number of man. So what if 666 means man to the nth degree? In other words, 666 represents man's ultimate desire to be in control instead of being ruled by God. Now that's a concept that runs

• 1
• 2
• 3
• ...
• 7
• Next Page >>