The Book of Revelation
John A. Hubbard, D. D.
W E BEGAN our study of the Bible Book of the Month with Genesis, and it seems fitting that we should close with the last book, The Revela tion. Many Christian people purposely neglect this wonder ful book for various reasons, but this is a great mistake. It is quite significant that in the first chapter, blessing is pronounced upon those who read and those who keep the words of this prophecy (v.3)„and in the last chapter, blessing is again pronounced upon those who keep the prophecies of this book (22:7). Manifestly those who neglect this book are missing a great blessing, because of course they cannot keep the sayings of the book un less they are familiar with its contents. Then, too, we should study the book of Revelation because of its relation to the rest of the Bible. The con tents of the various portions of the Bible have been summed up in the following words: The first is “Prepara tion,” which applies to the Old Testament, because it is the record of preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah, the Saviour. “Manifestation” is the word used for the Gospels, because they record the coming into the world of the Messiah, the Saviour. “Propagation” de scribes the book of Acts, which tells of the spreading of the Good News concerning the Christ “Explanation” applies to the Epistles, for in this portion the person and work of the Christ are explained as in no other portion of the Bible. “Consummation” covers the Revela tion, and obviously without this the Bible would be incomplete. ‘ We pass on the following contrast (gathered from * different sources) between the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation: Genesis
It has been suggested that we can determine the value of a book by raising the question, “What would we do without it?” If we apply this to the book of Reve lation, surely we can see something of the importance and the value of its study. As in the case of all the books we have studied, our treatment is necessarily brief. Since there are many very difficult passages in Revelation, a good commentary would be of much help. Among many that might be mentioned, we recommend Dr. Harry A. Ironside’s com mentary on this book. There are different “schools” of interpretation in connection with this book. The “futurist” appeals to the writer as being the most satisfactory and truest view. This method of interpretation makes all that is recorded after chapter 3 a prophecy of the future. In other words/ chap ters 4 to 22 are yet to be fulfilled. Those who hola to the futurist viewpoint usually take Revelation 1:19 as the key verse of the book. John is instructed to write “the things which thou hast seen” which applies to the past, that is, the things that John saw, sis recorded in chapter 1. He is also told to write “the things which are” which mani festly applies to the present, and covers chapters 2 and 3. He is then told to "write the things which shall be here after," which has been well rendered “things that are to be after these,” that is, after the churches. In other words, chapters 4 to 22 deal with future events. Let us deal briefly with these three sections. First the past: what John had seen (1:10-20). He had been given a vision qf the glorified Lord in the midst of the seven candlesticks. The present (chs. 2 and 3): the let ters sent to the seven churches. These were literal, local churches, located in what is now known as Asia Minor, and the letters describe the actual conditions existing in those churches. The Lord commends, condemns, warns, or exhorts, according to the condition of each church. Many teachers hold that these chapters also contain a prophetic foreview of the condition of the professing church during this entire dispensation, the church age. It has been pointed out that they give seven distinct periods which can be quite readily traced in church history, that is, the spiritual history of the church. The future (chs. 4-22): the things that are to be, after the earthly career of the church ends. That there will be a definite and sudden end is made clear by such passages as 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, which predict the translation of all true believers, those living at that time and those who will be raised from the dead. It is quite significant that the church is not mentioned after Revela tion, chapter 3. Chapters 4 and 5 give the record of John’s being “caught up into heaven,” believed to be typical of the translation of the Church, and the vision of the throne in Heaven, and of Jesus Christ as King and Redeemer. Chapters 6-18 describe what we understand to be “the great tribulation,” spoken of by our Lord in Matthew 24:21 THE K I NG ' S B US I NE S S
1. The book of the beginning. 2. 1:1—First Heaven and earth. 3. 1:16—Sun to rule the day. 4. 1:5—Darkness called night. 5. 3:14-17—Curse pronounced. 6. 3:19—Beginning of death. 7. 3:24—Paradise lost. 8. 3:24—Tree of life guarded. 9. 3:16,17—Sorrow and suffering enter. 10. 3:6-13—Satan triumphs. Revelation 1. The book of the end. 2. 21:1—New Heaven and earth. 3. 21:23—No need of a sun.
4. 22:5—No night there. 5. 22:3—No more curse. 6. 21:4—Death no more.
7. 21:25—Paradise regained. 8. 22:14—Right to tree of life. 9. 21:4—Sorrow and suffering ended. 10. 20:7-10—Satan's final defeat and doom.
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