Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The approaches to interpreting the book of revelation
Theological themes in the book of Revelation
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Although the New Testament has twenty-seven books, I choose to do this research project on the book of Revelation also called Revelation to John. Despite the fact that many people avoid this book, saying that it is confusing, or perhaps even frightening, in my opinion it is the most intriguing and interesting book within the New Testament. The book of Revelation can be quite difficult to understand, there for it often raises more question than answers. However by concentrating on the structure and the symbols within the book, it becomes less difficult to understand. Choosing the book of Revelation for this research paper will give me the opportunity to gain a better understanding of what is in my perspective is one of the most important books in the bible.
The identity of the author of the book of Revelation has been and still is under debate. External evidence reveals that the earliest individual known to have been knowledgeable with the book of Revelation was Papias, who was considered among the disciple of John. He was a compiler of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which made up his sayings about the lord in a total of five books. However no clear statement from Papias has been found concerning his identity in relation to the book of Revelation. Other scholars point to John the apostle; scholars base this theory on many factors such as the usage of symbols like the lamb to represent Jesus and the fact that “John never actually referred to himself as a prophet in Revelation, but he implied that he was one by describing his work as a “prophesy”1. Many different biblical scholars debate on who wrote the book of Revelation, unfortunately the answer will never be fully known and can only be speculated.
The book of revelation was ...
... middle of paper ...
...y recompense to repay every one according to what he has done;, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end.” Christians always knew that there is only one real god, a true god who is merciful.
My question is very specific it is said that the book of revelation is about the end of humanity if it is what does the book of revelation say about the "end of the world"? After carefully reading the book of revelation I came to the conclusion that the end of the world does not mean the destruction of the earth. World refers to the people alienated from God and this wicked system of things, false religion, commercial empire, and the governments of the earth. God's righteous people have never been destroyed along with the wicked so they will survive the great tribulation and Armageddon. However I would like to know more about this subject.
Much of Revelation is the source of debate. Many passages are symbolic in nature, and the exact meaning of the symbols can be difficult to determine. Some passages can be interpreted in various ways. The identity of the Four Horsemen, the 144,000, and Babylon the Great in particular are points of contention. Nevertheless, proper hermeneutics and careful study can illuminate these difficult passages.
Wenham, David and Steve Walton. (i) Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Gospels and Acts. 2nd ed. 1 vols. Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2011. Print.
New Testament. Vol. 2. Edited by Gerhard Kittel. Translated by Geoffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.
Although its presence is less immediately apparent in the tale, the Book of Revelation also sets forth the promise of salvation; the eternal life granted the fait...
In the 11th chapter of the book of Revelation, two mysterious witnesses are introduced. (Revelation 11:3-6) Who are these “who witnesses” that God empowers at the end of time to do his bidding? Some believe that Elijah and Enoch, who were miraculously “taken away” by God (2 Kings 2:11; Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5) will return from heaven to prophesy for three and a half years. Others think that it will be Elijah who stopped the rain in Israel for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17) and Moses who turned water to blood and brought plagues on Egypt (Exodus 7-12) will antagonize the Beast during the 42 months of his reign. Some religious institutions believe that the two witnesses will be called from within the ranks of their ministry to perform this task. Another theory is that the Old Testament and the New Testament symbolically represent these two witnesses. But the most popular theory is that the two witnesses are the two houses of Israel which are made up by the 144,000. This is the theory that is discussed.
New Revised Standard Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1989. Print. The. Russell, Eddie.
The end. Absolute in its finality, the end provides at once both a tempting and alluring topic of discussion. Attributable to this fact is the popularity of literary works which discuss the resolution of humanity. Examples of so called apocalyptic literature predate the Old Testament, however, the most controversial biblical example is John’s The Book of Revelation. The work is controversial because it falls to the subjective application of qualifying elements to determine Revelation’s in- or exclusion from the apocalyptic genre. Notwithstanding, while “revelation” is a translation of the word “apocalypse,” this fact does not appear to be enough for Northrop Frye or David Chilton to classify the text as definitively apocalyptic. Chilton argues that Revelation represents such a significant divergence form earlier apocalyptic works that it is beyond inclusion in the genre, whereas Frye perceived the final book as nothing more than a succinct end to the biblical story. In this way, both fail to recognize a third option, that of Bernard McGinn, who instead suggests that The Book of Revelation represents an evolution in the apocalyptic genre.
The New Interpreter's Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version with the Apocrypha. Nashville: Abingdon Press, ©2003.
New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1997. Osborne, Grant R. Revelation. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002.
No part of the Bible and its interpretation is more controversial than the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the last profound book in the New Testament. It conveys the significant purpose of Christianity by describing God’s plan for the world and his final judgment of the people by reinforcing the importance of faith and the concept of Christianity as a whole. This book was written by John in 95 or 96 AD. What is, what has been, and what is to come is the central focus of the content in Revelation.
Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version. New York: American Bible Society, 1995. Print. (BS195 .C66 1995)
One commonly used example of General Revelation is found in Romans 1:20, which states, “Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse” (The Catholic Teen Bible). The words “being understood” and “creation of the world” align with the definition of General Revelation because understanding is similar to becoming aware of God’s creation. Additionally, God’s creation includes all of nature, and General Revelation is seen through nature and natural means. Therefore, these words demonstrate a connection to General Revelation.
Revelation identifies itself as “both an “apocalypse”…and as prophecy”, making it distinctly different from the rest of the New Testament. “Jewish apocalyptic literature flourished in the centuries following the completion of the OT canon”, and it is scattered throughout the Old Testaments in books such as Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. Apocalyptic literature is full of “visions that dramatize the prophet’s admission to God’s heavenly council”, and convey their meaning primarily through symbolism. John brings a “balanced message of comfort, warning, and rebuke” in Revelation, testifying to the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Apart from the OT literature, Revelation shows a distinct optimism toward the end of days, for “Christ’s death has already won the decisive victory over evil”, with the Kingdom of God already among believers. This book was written in “approximately A.D. 95 on the island of Patmos”, which is still standing to this day. It was written under the emperor Domitian, with Roman authorities exiling John “to the island of Patmos (off the coast of Asia)”. The events in Revelation are also “ordered
I would honestly have to say amongst all the books of the Bible Revelation has always seemed to frighten me the most. Ever since I was a child, my mother always said, “Revelation tells you how the end of the world will go, if you are a true believer you will have no fear.” Hearing this still didn’t make me feel any better I’ve always avoided reading the book of Revelation until a few months ago when the youth study program I’m in began to examine the book and its meaning. I never thought to look at the deeper meaning behind a text until my enrollment into your class. The chapter I will be giving a response to is Revelation 13: 1-17. I chose this chapter because it actually frightened me the most. To think of all the horrendous figures that will appear is pretty
(Revelation 6:12-14) “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its