Revelation 7:9-17
“No More Tears”
The Book of Revelation is one of the strangest books in the Bible. While many Christians avoid reading it because it’s so difficult to make sense of, others are fascinated by the process of trying to interpret it. You may have heard about some Christians reading Revelation as a future prophecy and trying to associate current events with the symbols and images contained in the book. Usually the interpretation leads to a conclusion that the end of the world is coming very soon, causing fear, confusion, and sometimes some very unusual life decisions based on that belief.
But within the Reformed Tradition of which we are a part, we use historical-critical methods to try to understand what the authors of Scripture were dealing with in their time and place. This helps us to understand what they might have meant to communicate through the Book, and only then do we make the interpretive leap to what it might mean for us today.
Revelation is best understood when you see who wrote it, when and why it was written, and what kind of literature it is. The historical context is essential because the book’s imagery and message arise directly from the … Read more »