Bible - Revelation

Many people are scared away by Revelation, and it's become common for churches to skip over it. Yet it's the literal Revelation of Jesus Christ, our Savior. His words, His revelation, not a book of fantasy or fiction. It's meant to foretell real future events that He wanted His followers to know. Apocalyptic literature, despite its intimidating name, is a recognized part of Scripture. And since prophecy comprises 1/3 of the Bible, it benefits us to understand its key elements. I've had preachers admit to never studying it themselves to avoid "speculation." Sad, yes, but this speaks to the state of the modern church. So, why is the book of Revelation written so much differently than the rest of the Bible? What does that mean for us and how we interpret Scripture? These are the kinds of questions we're going to discuss in class. And it doesn't have to be scary or confusing.

We'll lean on 1) critical thinking, 2) context, 3) cross-references, 4) original audience, and 5) consistent symbols (as they are used throughout scripture). When our class views diverge, we will model humility and learn how to debate. (For example, | will have them say, "Here are 2 or 3 other ways I've heard this discussed. Here's why I lean toward this one. But here's what all Christians can agree on regarding this text.)

The goal is to help students read Revelation faithfully, understand what it teaches, and grow in confidence that ALL of God's Word is meant to be read and understood.