The Christian Bible is divided into two major sections—the history of the Jewish people and the history of the early Christian church. We call those divisions the Old Testament and the New Testament. Each of those major sections is divided into smaller sections called books. There are sixty-six books altogether. This set of three articles explores the Book of Revelations in the Christian Bible.
The overall structure of the Old Testament begins with accounts of the history of the Jewish people, transitions through writings on the meaning of life and ends with prophetic writings that look forward to the time when the Jewish people will no longer suffer.
The New Testament begins with four different summaries of the life and teachings of Jesus that we call the gospels. It then transitions through one account of the history of the early church, leads into a collection of letters written by the leaders of the early church and ends with the Book of Revelations. Like the prophetic works in the Old Testament, the Book of Revelations looks forward to a day when God’s people will no longer suffer.
The Book of Revelations is distinct, however. It is more abstract than any of the other books in the New Testament. And, while Christians now look at the advent of Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Old Testament, they are divided regarding the time setting described in the Book of Revelations.
In my opinion, most of the New Testament has a coherence that allows it to be summarized into a few themes. For example, Jesus loves even the sinners. Those same themes somehow seem distorted in the Book of Revelations. For example, there are episodes in the Book of Revelations in which massive populations die. The tough question is how to reconcile a vision of God as one willing to die to save the lost and a vision of God as one willing to allow mass murder.
The Book of Revelations is the challenge that had baffled me. I approach this short set of articles now confident that there is a coherence and purpose that aligns the Book of Revelations with the other books in the Bible. I am confident that we can now see how the revelation of Jesus in the gospels aligns with the revelation of Jesus in this book. If my approach fails to convey conviction then the approach itself is questionable. If, however, this interpretive approach brings new light onto this old text, then I leave it to you to judge.
Personally, I am a pragmatist. When I find a tool that is effective at doing work that I value, then I am happy to use that tool. At the same time, I want to separate myself from the tool. From your perspective, please think of me as a narrator on this journey. I am simply the wrapping paper placed around the gift. Once the gift has been received, the wrapping paper can be discarded. Please do not allow me to get in your way as we approach these next three articles. Listen to the dissonance I will create and then discern.