Continous Discipleship - Revelation

Prayer: We pray for courage to discern what you would have us understand from your Word. As we look at puzzling words, help us be clear in our love for your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Book of Revelation is described in the study guide of the course Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation by Bruce Metzger
“as a carefully written document that used symbolism and code language to reinforce for Christians long ago a commitment to be faithful in spite of the brutal oppression they were enduring.”
There are messages to the seven churches that can have meaning for our churches today. Dr. Metzger says,
“The presence of Christ departs when well-intentioned people, zealous to find the right way, depart from the ultimate way which is love.”  
Apocalyptic writing points to the end of evil and the triumph of God’s purpose for all of creation. Symbolism and coding is used in scripture to hide meaning from oppressors and to give an image that helps the reader gain greater understanding of that which can not be objectively described.

Our effort to understand the symbolic and apocalyptic language to this book helps us
“To recognized and appreciate how symbolism helps us grasp abstract concepts, such as our idea of heaven, and to consider the role of Christ in God’s eternal plan for humans who seek to be faithful and obedient to their Lord.”  
God gave us free will yet desires our faithfulness and repentance.

At the time that this book was written, the persecution of Christians had begun and would increase. The Book of Revelation contains coded hope to a people who could be greatly discouraged. What we know of our own world in this time could more vivid to us and can also be discouraging. Therefore we also need words so we don’t become discouraged and hope so our faith is not diminished.

God is constant and powerful and is “leading toward triumph in a new world where suffering and sorrow are ended”

And so the Bible begins with,

In the beginning when God
      created the heavens and the earth,
and ends with,

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.
Prayer: God, we thank you for the understanding that you have given us and ask for peace in what we don’t understand. We pray for our faith to be warmed, our attitude to be humble and our love to grow for you and each other. Amen.