Have
you ever wondered what the Book of Revelation was all about. This
113-page book takes you through the whole scope of St. John's
vision. This study is not designed so much as a "key to
unlock prophecy" so much as a desire to understand the
message of this Book for the church today and then act on it. It
is designed for personal study, preaching preparation, and small
group or Sunday school class study in 8 lessons. The book includes 4 or 5
discussion questions for each session plus 8 charts that can help
learners understand the bigger picture of the book.
But lest
you study Revelation for the wrong reasons, let me clarify a few
aspects of this study.
Our goal is to learn the powerful message
of the Book
to Christians today, and learn what its message was to churches
at the end of the First Century.
Revelation cannot be taken literally
. It is symbolic,
not literal teaching. This doesn't mean it isn't true, only
that it must be understood differently than the narrative of
the Gospels and Acts, or the letters of Paul and other
Apostles. It is full of symbols and thus can only be understood
if the meaning of the symbols is probed and understood.
The timing of the Tribulation and Rapture is only a minor
theme
. If these areas are your main interests, please
don't enroll for this study. (Incidentally, I am
pre-millennial, mid-trib, though I see a good case for
amillennialism. I think that the "secret rapture"
taught in the Left Behind series rests on a pretty shaky
interpretation of scripture.) We'll explore the various views,
but frankly, they aren't very central to understanding
Revelation.
My interest is to help serious disciples understand and
heed the message of Revelation, not to tickle your
intellectual curiosity. I want you to come away a changed
person -- sobered some, since Revelation is a pretty sober
Book -- but more than that, filled with a zeal to be a
faithful witness to Christ in your generation.
Having said that, I hope you will put away your preconceived
doctrines, open your mind, and plumb with me the depths of
Revelation. I don't understand everything in this Book -- no one
really does. But I'll help you understand its basic message and
pray that you will be gripped by it -- now and for the rest of
your life.
"Clear, concise and thoroughly researched.
Non-threatening to any and all Christian denominations." --
Diane Ivy
"I
appreciate the openness and 'inclusiveness' (in the best
sense of that word) with which you conduct your studies,
striving to focus on the Lord we have in common...." --
Heather
How the Study Works
Here's how the study will work:
Study Notes
. The book includes study notes rather than a full
exposition of each section. You'll find places to take notes,
look up scriptures and record your answers. These are meant to
be printed out and written on.
8 charts will help you study Revelation
and take notes on what you find.
Discussion Questions. Each lesson contains four or
five questions designed to help you (and your group or class)
grapple with the meaning and application of the section
you're studying. The questions are designed not to provoke
controversy, but to help you and your group understand how to
apply the truths of Revelation to your own life today.
on Jesus and the Kingdom of God
Have
you ever wondered what the Book of Revelation was all about. This
113-page book takes you through the whole scope of St. John's
vision. This study is not designed so much as a "key to
unlock prophecy" so much as a desire to understand the
message of this Book for the church today and then act on it. It
is designed for personal study, preaching preparation, and small
group or Sunday school class study in 8 lessons. The book includes 4 or 5
discussion questions for each session plus 8 charts that can help
learners understand the bigger picture of the book.
Study Notes
joyfulheart.com
JesusWalk: Beginning the
Journey
