MDiv student: Nicolae Lica
I. Historical Setting
The purpose of the book is to encourage Christians in difficult times such a persecution and trials and suffering. Also to show them that God is in control, despite the appearance of tyrannical regimes being in control, who can persecute Christians and even kill them at will. Revelation was written by the apostle John around 96 AD at the end of Dominitian reign. Dominitian`s cruelty is well documented by Roman hystorians, and the church historian Eusebius calls him a second Nero because of his persecution of the church.
The other aspect that is sometimes the result of persecution is cultural seduction of the chruch. The temptation for church to compromise and the danger of being conformed to this world (Romans 12:1). Because the message of Revelation is timeless, the the cultural seduction for the church today is the same as in the early church. The temptations are in moral area (sexual temptation), material areamaterialesm, wealth), Spiritual area (indiference, lethargy).
Why was the book written:
- To prepare believers in Asia for the coming of Jesus, 1:4.3:11
- To expose false teaching and ungodly behavior in the seven churches, 2:6,14,20
- To reveal the divine judgements to fall on the unrepentant:9:21;16:11,21;21:8
- To exhosrt believers to persevere despite persecution and hardship:1:17-18;2:7,172:24;3:11;
Themes:
- God, ruling from his divine throne, is the soveregn Lord of history (1:18).
- Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb (30x) is victorious over the Satan and the world (1:18;2:8;5:9;6:2; 11:15;12:9; 14:1,14;19:16;20:4;22:3).
- The world system typified by Babylon and the two beasts is opposed to God and his people (Rev 17,18).
- Worship – is an ongoing activity based on the realtionship with the living God (5:14; 7:11-12;11:17;19:10).
- Coming of Christ - Rev. 3:11, 18, 19; Rev. 22:17
- The saints who overcome will receive eternal rewards in the new heaven and new earth (2:7;2:17Rev 22).
II. The structure of the book – The majors division of the book
1. Introduction and the portret of the Son of Man - the glorified Christ ………...……1
2. The message to the 7 churches ……………………………………..…………2:1-3:22
3. Before the throne (God, the Book, and the Lamb)……………….………….……4-8:6
4. Trouble on earth ……………………………………………..……………….8:7-11:18
5. War from heaven to earth……………..………………………………………..11:19-13
6. The Victrory of the Lamb ………………………………….………..……………14-18
7. The Marriage Feast and reign of the Lamb ……………………………….……….19-22
The main theme of Revelation is The revelation of the triumphant Christ. There is a unity and progression in these seven sections. The seven sections may be grouped into two major divisions. Theses two major divisions reveal a progress in depth or intensity of spiritual conflict. The first major division, Chapters 1-11, reveals the church - indwelt with Christ - persecuted by the world. The second major division, Chapters 12-22 reveals a deeper spiritual background of this struggle. It is a conflict between the Christ and the dragon, in which Christ - hence, His church - is victorious.
The fisrt division is starting with the portret of Jesus Lord Jesus as the Triumphant One. The key phrase is The Revelation of Jesus Christ. The whole book it unveils the Lord Jesus in a marvelous way to us.
The second dvision is His message to the church and is a revelation of his will and puspose for the church.
The third division is a vision of the open door of heavenly worship. The key word is „before God or the throne“. Here Jesus is revieled as the one before the throne and is the only one worthy to open the book. He is bowth the Lion and the Lamb.
The forth division is about whatis going on on earth when the Lmb opens the seve seals. They are in close correlation with the synoptic apocalypses found in Mat 24. They are the signs of Jesus coming. Here jesus reveals the signs of his coming.
The fifth division is about conflict and war. It starts in heaven with the snake against the woman, against the Michael. This war is then moved from heaven to on earth. Here Jesus is revealing the background of the spiritual battle between the two kingdoms.
The sixth division is about the victory of the Lamb over Babylon, the beast and the dragon. Jesus is revealing himself as a Victor and with him we are more than conqueror.
The seven division is the vision of the marriage feast of the Lamb and his eternal reign over the creation and evil power. The end of the book is exhortation to prepare for his coming , pray and wish that He will come in order to do those things.