October 15, 2017: Day 56 – Revelation 1

I just like this song and it is called Revelation Song so…, I put it on this blog.  Here we are, in Revelation.  It is probably one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible.  If I were to say to you that the Eagles were crushed by the Cowboys and I put it on a piece of paper I’m guessing you all would understand what I was saying.  Wishful thinking at this point, but you would understand what I was saying.

What if a thousand years from now someone found this piece of paper and tried to interpret what I was trying to say to my church.  They could take that statement a thousand figurative ways while never realizing that we are talking about American Football.  Someone a thousand years from now could also see it as predictive and say: one day a group of cowboys will come upon the earth and slay all of the eagles that are present on the earth.  

Well, this is what we see happening in Revelation.  We have lost so much of the meaning of what the first century author was trying to tell to us.  First of all, the author was John, the very same as the one who wrote the Gospel of John, the very same that we think wrote the letters I, II, and III John.  We think that he has been banished to the island of Patmos, not the isle of tickling which you find in the video below.  

John is writing from this island to a community of believers who had as their number one enemy the Roman Empire (the beast).  As a result believers are being killed and tortured and so those who at one time called themselves believers were turning away from the faith.  John’s message is simple: Do not compromise.  To the one who perseveres and makes it through, they will receive a prize in heaven which is unimaginable.  As you read through this book of the Bible think of this theme throughout.  Do not compromise.

Now to chapter 1.  Probably enough for today, just focus on the fact that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega.  Jesus is the beginning and the end.