They represent religious deception, war, famine and disease. When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for. The book of revelation has been a source of continual fascination for nearly two thousand years. Revelation has been called the most controversial book in the bible, for good reason. The author of revelation mentioned his name, john, four times throughout the book revelation 1.
It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than. A downtoearth guide to understanding the most mysterious book of the bible. Color symbolism in the apocalypse of john in revelation. There are specific colors mentioned in the last days. The literary genres of the book of revelation are an apocalypse, a prophecy, and an epistle or letter.
With jeff fahey, nick mancuso, tony nappo, carol alt. Using visions and symbols, the writer illustrates the triumph of good over evil and the creation of a new heaven and new earth. Revelation 1 niv bible the revelation from jesus christ. From as early as justin martyr in the second century a.
John wrote revelation while a prisoner on the island of patmos, approximately 8595 a. In the book of revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early christian community find their clearest and most complete expression. Concepts such as the lamb of god, the four horsemen, the seventh seal, the beasts and antichrist, the whore of babylon, armageddon, the millennium, the last judgement, the new jerusalem, and the ubiquitous angels of the apocalypse have captured the popular imagination. The revelation to john, or the book of revelation, is the last book of the bibles new testament. The book is traditionally attributed to john the apostle. However, in this specific instance of apocalypse, of a veil being taken away when jesus christ returns, widespread. Four horsemen of the apocalypse meaning in revelation. The apocalypse, the closing book and the only prophetical book of the new testament canon. The first in a series on an overview of the book of revelation with a focus in this sermon. By reasoning together, this old testament scripture, tells us five things will happen. Summary in the book of revelation, the apocalyptic hopes of the early christian community find their clearest and most complete expression.
The book of revelation chapter 9 and the ideology of. Revelation from the holy bibles new testamentbook of. The bible book of revelations details prophecy of the apocalypse and end times. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse into. Robert nusca shows in the christ of the apocalypse, the face of jesus is everywhere in johns prophetic vision of heaven. Book of revelation apocalypse in the bible king james. The coronavirus, the apocalypse, and the book of revelation. The author was probably a christian from ephesus known as john the elder. The book of the apocalypse, chapter 1 1 the revelation of jesus christ, which god gave unto him, to make known to his servants the things which must shortly come to pass. In this engaging volume, scripture scholar stephen doyle uses a threepronged approach to deciphering the complicated and often misunderstood book of revelation one that is accessible to a new bible reader, yet useful to the serious student. This is probably the key difference among the competing interpretations of revelation. Surfing the trinity broadcasting network and its stable of stations, there is no shortage of wouldbe bibleprophecy teachers who have set themselves up as experts on this book.
Beale, new international greek testament commentary nigtc, eerdmans, 1999, 1,309 pp. Our family often had afterdinner reading time of scripture or religious books. The apocalyptic book of revelation is a symbolic glimpse. Book of revelation overview insight for living ministries. In the new testament the second part of the bible and in its last book, which is called the book of revelation, written by john the theologian of patmos, there is a chapter which relates to us the story of a doomsday revelation, of the four horsemen of the apocalypse which descend on the earth to decimate the population. Following the directives of the second vatican councils constitution on divine revelation, he helps the reader to. Revelation 1 niv prologue the revelation from jesus. Martin luther rejected seven books from the old testament, called the deuterocanonical books, sometimes also called the apocrypha. His name occurs four times in the book itself rev 1. That the apocalypse of john is a revelation of jesus christ rev 1.
Revelation 6 tells of a scroll in gods right hand that is secured with seven seals, which, when opened, summons four beings that ride out on white. Apocalypse in the book of revelation revelation, which appears as the last book in the christian bible, is one of the most famous pieces of apocalyptic writing. Framed as the visions of the apostle john, it is packed with symbolism in images and numbers to create a prophecy of the end of days. The four horsemen of the apocalypse appear in the book of revelation, where they are named as a punishment of god, but some believe they are an analogy of reallife events to come in the future. Caught in the eye of the storm 1998, police officer in search for answers, thorold stone, joins a rebel group of christians to thwart the antichrists plan to use virtual reality to solidify its power. King james version this book was written to encourage persecuted believers and affirm their faith that god will care for them. Revelation always implies the unveiling of something previously hidden, in. Symbolic language, however, is one of the chief characteristics of apocalyptic literature, of which this book is an.
The book of revelation is perhaps the bibles most mystifying and powerful chapter. This is the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ. John, or the apocalypse, is the only prophetic book in the new testament. And so with the above in mind, i offer this paper with the hope that you, the reader, will engage in a study of the book of revelation yourself. The prophetic book of the new testament david malick. Seven bowls, each containing a plague representing a divine judgment to be poured out on. Christians throughout history have given almost unanimous affirmation to the identity of the books author as john the apostle, who had been exiled to the island of patmos by the authorities for preaching the gospel in asia. The revelation of jesus christ is a book of prophecy on the end times and comprises the final book of the new testament and of the bible. This is the beginning and ending of the book of job, played out on a world stage. Best commentaries and books on revelation logos bible. While many associate the word apocalypse with great disaster, the book of revelation begins and ends by saying that those who read, understand, and apply its message would be happy for doing so.
Chapter 12 of the new testament book of revelation known as the woman and the dragon is the best known passage about the apocalypse. Jesus promises the church of philadelphia that he will keep them from the hour of trial coming to test those who dwell on earth. Book of revelation students britannica kids homework help. The revelation of saint john the apostle geneva bible 1599. It shows a vision of the world being destroyed in ways most modern horror writers would be hardpressed to top. Charles in 1920, the famous scholar widely recognised as the greatest. Knowing god an extraterrestrial message chuck missler. Why do catholic bibles not include the book of revelation. Book of revelation, chapter 9 american standard version 1 and the fifth angel sounded, and i saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth.
Perhaps this paper and the sources cited will give you some foundation on which to build. There are 3 theories to the time rapture of the church will take place in relation to the great tribulation period. The book of revelation is the most abused and misunderstood book of the bible. The result, according to hank hanegraaff, has been rampant misreading of. It is a book of mysteriesdeep mysteries bound up with the beginning and end of all things, the ultimate purpose of the world and man, the opening of the eternal kingdom of heavenwhich gives itself to a correct understanding and interpretation only with great difficulty. A series of visions, each one leading into the next. Revelation is an apocalyptic prophecy with an epistolary introduction addressed to seven churches in the roman province of asia. Is coronavirus one of the plagues in the book of revelation. Now that we have isolated the borders of the seven letters block, the nature of the first eight verses of chapter one is clear. The book of revelation the book of revelation the apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader.
Apr 15, 2019 the bible s book of revelation is basically a fever dream of epic proportions. We also find at the end of the book several verses which serve as its closing. The first four of those seals are called the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Some people see the book as an outline of the future. The book of revelation is an apocalyptic letter that relies on visions, symbols and old testament references to reveal the ultimate fulfillment of gods promise given to abraham in genesis. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant john, 2 who testifies to everything he sawthat is, the word of god and the testimony of jesus christ. The last book of the bible is also called the apocalypse, meaning to disclose and reveal. And of course, people today are still familiar with some of its most famous characters, like the whore of babylon, the beast marked 666, and the four. The scripture reveals many terrible events that will supposedly precede the second coming of christ, including plagues, earthquakes and locust swarms.
Book of revelation apocalypse in the bible king james version revelation is the final book in the holy bible. Why are people claiming the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The revelation of john the divine the argument it is manifest, that the holy ghost would as it were gather into this most excellent book a sum of those prophecies, which were written before, but should be fulfilled after the coming of christ, adding also such things as should be expedient, as well to forewarn us of the dangers to come, as to. May 11, 2020 i think its time you kids read the book of revelation, she announced. Books and sermons dealing with daniel revelation amazing. Many verses in revelation apply to life today, whether we are living in the midst of one of the. Using apocalypse this way derives from the content of the book of revelation, not from the word s greek meaning. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant john, 2 who testifies to everything he saw. Four times the author identifies himself as john 1. According to the scripture, the book of revelation was given by inspiration of god 2 timothy 3. While it might be tempting to try and identify this virus with one of those plagues, i believe there are a couple of reasons not to. Lets take a look at the meaning and symbolism of each color. In fact, the opening passage contains a blessing to everyone who reads, hears, and keeps the words of this prophecy. Revelation summary the literary genres of the book of revelation are an apocalypse, a prophecy, and an epistle or letter.
That word in english has come to mean the end of the world, but in greek it means opening like opening a present on christmas morning. Apocalypse, from the verb apokalypto, to reveal, is the name given to the last book in the bible. The second in a series on an overview of the book of revelation. The apocalyptic book of revelation uses symbols and old testament references to reveal a pattern of human rebellion and gods plan to overcome evil forever and create a new world.
The book of revelation was written to seven churches as both encouragement and challenge. According to jeremiah jaques from the philadelphia church of god website, the book of revelation is about. The sarscov2 virus, which first emerged in china last december, has to date killed at least 3,408 people. The book of revelation the apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader.
Although its visions often seem bizarre to the western reader, fortunately the book provides a. Seven trumpets, the last three of which introduce three woes revelation 8. The book of revelation was written sometime around 96 ce in asia minor. Tom constables expository notes on revelation this is also available in the net. So, is covid19 one of the seven plagues mentioned in revelation 1617. The book of revelation is unique, in that it describes a series of visions that may or may be taken literally. In roman catholic bibles, the book of revelation is called the apocalypse. The last book in the biblical canon of the new testament is the book of the apocalypse a. The final book of the bible by approaching apocalypse on amazon music. Revelation 22 is the twentysecond and the last chapter of the book of revelation or the apocalypse of john, and the final chapter of the new testament and of the christian bible. The authors nightmarish prophecies and visions of natural disasters, violence, bloodshed, revenge, and.
This summary of the book of revelation provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of revelation. Revelation the dragon pursuing a woman, from the bamberg apocalypse. Mar 06, 2020 militant christians believe the coronavirus epidemic is a sign of the end times prophesied in the bibles book of revelation. The book of revelation is the final book of the bible in which john the apostle outlined his visions of the end times. This is one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In the final chapters of the bible, the four horsemen of the apocalypse will arrive to destroy vast swathes of the planet. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. However literal the prophecies may or may not be, the point is clear.
Engaging important questions concerning the interpretation of revelation in scholarship today, as well interacting with the various viewpoints scholars hold on these issues, beales work makes a major contribution in the muchdebated area of how the old testament is used in the apocalypse. Revelation 1 new international version niv prologue. The alarming rate at which the disease spreads and targets victims has led many to consider its. Much intrigue has built around these four characters featured in revelation 6 that iconic art, books, and even movies such as xmen apocalypse have capitalized on these four horsemen of the apocalypse these four horsemen appear to symbolically portray four disastrous occurrences that will take place. Although a christian work, the apocalypse belongs to a class of literature dealing with eschatological subjects and much in vogue among the jews of. The teaching company shmoop helpfully rounded up some of the terrible things that happen to people unlucky enough to live in the world described by revelation. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all. The book of revelation by the apostle john outlines the end of the world and the second coming of jesus christ. One of the more eerie parts of the book of revelation includes four figures riding horses. Revelation to john, last book of the new testament. Whats past, present, and futureor all of the above. The bible isnt the first book you might turn to for gratuitous violence, but its definitely in there.
The book of revelation, the last book of the bible, has fascinated and puzzled christians for centuries. Pastor greg laurie pulled no punches in his warning to congregants of californiabased harvest christian fellowship church thursday night, explaining that christians are living in the last days and tougher times lay ahead, in a message based on the bible s book of revelation 619 titled the four horsemen of the apocalypse. What is the summary of the bibles book of revelation. The book of revelation is one of the most controversial books in the world.
Understand the book of revelation and bible prophecy. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. Published on dec 14, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of revelation, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The first part contains moral counsels to several christian churches in asia minor. Revelation, written by john toward the end of the reign of emperor domitian a. How to read the bibles apocalyptic literature blog. Stay connected amidst social distancing receive weekly bible studies to share with family and friends. Sep 17, 2014 the book of revelation is perhaps the bible s most mystifying and powerful chapter. Coronavirus has infected more than 94,000 people around the globe, leading many to bizarrely claim covid19 was predicted by the bible. It is the final revelation of god to mankind, and within its message, it completes the messages and prophecies of the past, and links it all into the events to unfold in the near future. The discipleapostle john, who followed jesus christ and witnessed his crucifixion, authored it. An apocalyptic letter, it relies on visions, symbols, and old. The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, a stark account of the apocalypse and a prophecy of the world coming to an. If as i will show, that the book of revelation was written by this person, then clearly, he is an enemy of the truth, the apocalypse cannot be included the christian canon of the new testament this book expands upon the scholarly work, the apocalypse written by r.
The author of this book was undoubtedly john the apostle. Penned by john of patmos, the book of revelation describes the second coming of christ and the apocalypse. Apocalypticism was not a new phenomenon among christians. Book of revelation read, study bible verses online.
The greek name of the bible book of revelation, apoka. For the bulk of its sixtysix books, the bible portrays a world deep in the throes. The book of revelation may be the last place you expect to find the face of jesus. The book of revelation is still in the catholic bible. The title of the book, revelation, comes from the greek word for apocalypse and. John the theologianis the only prophetic book of the new testament. Many christian evangelists and conspiracy theorists believe these events are already. Its meaning is positive, not fearful or terrifying to those who serve god. Revelation 1, king james version kjv the bible app. The book of revelation is by far one of the most challenging books in the bible, yet well worth the effort to study and comprehend.
Everyone has heard of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, but less well known are the horses of. Reading revelation today reading the bible today commentaries 2nd revised edition by barnett, paul isbn. Simply, apocalypsis and apocalupto refer to taking away a veil or unveiling rather than to cataclysmic events. Revelation is apocalyptic, a kind of writing that is highly symbolic.
The book of revelation is the final book of the new testament, a stark account of the apocalypse and a prophecy of the world coming to an end. For the next three weeks, postdinner dishes, my 10yearold brother and i sat through a very literal reading of the bibles apocalyptic final book. Breaking the code of the book of revelation has become an international obsession. Contemplating the faces of jesus in the book of revelation proposes, beyond prediction. Written by john, one of the apostles of christ, the book is addressed to the seven christian churches in asia minor, whose members were being persecuted by roman officials. The apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. The apocalypse, or revelation to john, the last book of the bible, is one of the. These are tobit, judith, 1 and 2 maccabees, wisdom, sirach. An introduction to the book of revelation an argument of the book of revelation part 1.
The book of revelation often called the revelation to john, apocalypse of john, the revelation from jesus christ from its opening words, the apocalypse, the revelation, or simply revelation is the final book of the new testament, and consequently is also the final book of the christian bible. In greek, the word revelation is apokalypsis, so sometimes the book is called the apocalypse. Pastor greg laurie on bibles end times predictions in. John s authorship is affirmed by justin, irenaeus, clement of alexandria, tertullian and the muratori fragment really by the entire tradition of the church from the.