Please read the first 12 chapters of Revelation for Thursday's class.Do you find Revelation a difficult book? A beautiful book? Something of both? Cite a verse or two from the first 12 chapters that particular shows either the beautiful side or Revelation or the difficulties of figuring out this book.
One thing that I found particularly difficult when reading Revelation were the first three chapters. They are all made up of messages to the people of different places and it is kind of hard to follow along and stay with what is being said. I found Revelation 5: 6-8 beautiful verses in the fact that it was kind of a story and the Lamb represented Jesus and by the Lamb dying, He saved all of God's people. I just found that particular passage one that was easy to follow along and quite beautiful writing.
ReplyDelete"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love." (Revelation 2:4 NIV)
ReplyDeleteAh, Revelation! I assumed as soon as we were assigned this reading that the stereotyping of this being the hardest book of the New Testament was going to be proven true. At least I held out until Chapter 9, then I got a wee bit confused. So my answer would have to be it is a difficult book, but it also has beauty.
The verse that spoke the most to me was the aforementioned 2:4. It was part of the letter to the church of Ephesus. Man, you got to feel for the poor Christians in Ephesus; getting dinged twice in two different letters for the same thing! The Ephesians had trouble remembering who's on the Lord's side; by that I mean walking the straight and narrow path of righteousness. I sympathize with them; I also had problems with that a while ago but have since come out the other side. I did love how at the end of every letter to each church ended by "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, and 3:22)
Petra- First Love
from their 1988 album "On Fire!"
Based partially on Revelations 2:4 (with Song of Songs 2:4 and 1 John 4:19)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzKaHWi2GEE
I love all the reverence that is shown in the book of Revelations. In most modern Christianity you don’t see a lot of honor and reverence… Revelation shows us how important that is. In chapter 4 verses 8-11 the creatures never stop singing about how holy the Lord is, and how worthy of honor he is. In chapter 5 verses 8-14 the elders fall down and worship, the saints sing, *every* creature in heaven and earth proclaims the glory of God. You see that in some churches, to some extent, but nothing of this magnitude! It brings a beautiful picture to my mind and I can’t wait for heaven.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Revelation is kind of a strange book, both being beautiful and difficult at the same time. It describes the life of Jesus Christ from four different types of viewpoints. This is much different than most of the other books that choose to tell the story of Jesus' life through one view point rather than more than one. This is what makes revelation such an interesting book to read, John even implies that it will be much different because of his first sentence introducing it as the "revelation of Jesus Christ." I particularly liked verse 1 of chapter 4. "After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." Only because of how it describes heaven with a door, I liked the imagery that John used in this chapter as well.
ReplyDeleteRevelation is definitely a difficult book to read. I would consider the beginning of the book God's way of giving a compliment sandwich. I learned this term when I worked retail. You give a compliment, something that can be fixed, and then another compliment. In this case God is saying you all are wonderful, you keep my commandments and do what you are supposed to do. However, there are some changes that can and need to be made. Once these are fixed everything will be wonderful again, and Heaven awaits you. Can't get much better than that.
ReplyDeleteRandom though, do all the animals and creatures talk in Heaven? I believe that when my dog dies she will go to Heaven, and I would love to talk with her when I get there. Sorry, extreme tangent.
The imagery in this book is amazing. I have a very vivid imagination and everything I have read is coming to life in my mind. This is both a good and a bad thing, considering all the things that John sees.
Revelation 12, pretty much the whole chapter is very interesting to me. Like with other chapters, I love the imagery and the story of what is to come. I love how the woman, who I am assuming represents Mary, is protected from the dragon.
I can't wait to read more of this book.
I see the Book of Revelation as being both difficult and beautiful. I'll admit, I did get lost in the confusion of the first 3 chapters, but from then on out it was smoother sailing. I think what makes this book beautiful is the imagery that is used. Two verses that do a great job of showing this imagery is Revelations 4:1 "After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'" and Revelations 8:1-2 "When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God; seven trumpets were given to them." This use of imagery helps me better understand Revelation and see what others have as predictions for heaven.
ReplyDeleteI thought the first three chapters were difficult and confusing , but the rest were beautiful. I thought, "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were killed, and with blood of your death you bought people for God from every tribe, language, people and nation. You made them to be a kingdom of priests for our God and they will rule on the earth." I think this is a very beautiful and simple quote to understand. I think Revelation was a very great book that was once again saying keeping following because God is real.
ReplyDeleteReading Revelation 12:1-6 was really weird, the story about the woman, the child, and the dragon left me questing what I just read. It says, " A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child. 5 But she gave birth to a Son—a male who is going to shepherd all nations with an iron scepter—and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God, to be fed there for 1,260 days." these verses left me with so many questions. I would imagine that that this has some sort of deeper meaning but its just really hard to figure out what the point of this happening really is.
ReplyDeleteRevelation is a difficult book. It not only depicts a picture of the end times but of heaven. I've always been amazed at all the imagery of the book and just imaging what that would be like. I'm with Jamie in Rev. 12 of what the point of the dragon is.
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ReplyDelete“7:17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”---This is obviously heaven where there is always eternal peace and joy. Yet again, we see Jesus as the Shepherd of His own sheep and providing for all our needs and making us happy. We have tears on earth but never in heaven.
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