What do you think about Revelation?

by wantstoleave 48 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  wantstoleave

  How do you put the bible book of Revelation into perspective? Do you see it as real? Metaphorical? Just plain scary?

  I remember going through the Revelation book (red one) as a child and being scared witless. The graphic pictures to a small child, with all doom and gloom were terrifying. I have never been much of a studier, always bucked against doing personal study when my dad asked, so I have to admit, I'm very rusty on alot of things. But Revelation is one of the books of the bible I avoid because it scares me!

  What about you? What do you make of it?
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  Farkel

  :What do you think about Revelation?

  All I can say is, I want some of whatever John was smoking!

  Farkel
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  Chalam

  If it doesn't "come to pass" one day then it is a lie and we can forget the bible. As it is, numerous other things prophesied in the bible have happened as foretold to exact details, the life of Christ being the most important.

  Revelation (and the prophesies in Daniel) is written as a vision "in the Spirit". Much of it is symbolic but much of it isn't.

  As I said to my JW friend who was playing the "allegorical" card, don't be surprised when you see Jesus arrive on day on a white horse.

  Sure, things will get heavy, but I like Mike Bickle's perspective, it is going to be not only the darkest period in history but also the most glorious period for the church. Also, the church will not actually go through most of it, we will we shielded from the "plagues" as the Israelites were unaffected by the plagues which beset Egypt.

  Check out their site IHOP Resources and see the "End Times" section.

  All the best,

  Stephen
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  snowbird

  Strange that you should mention this; I was thinking about the same thing!

  In my thread on the symbolisms found in Revelation, the poster, Narkissos, said something that greatly piqued my interest.

  He mentioned that it was to be read aloud to the designated congregations.

  Imagine if you'd been a part of one of those congregations! What would your thoughts have been? Frightened? Nervous? Elated?

  I like the way the writer presupposed his targeted audience already knew about some things. For example, he gives no explanation of the 24 elders or the four living creatures that surrounded the Throne.

  Yet, he readily admitted that he didn't know anything about the great crowd or multitude.

  I used to think that Revelation was written after the destruction of Jerusalem, now, I'm not so sure.

  Just my thoughts, as requested.

  Sylvia
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Revelation proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Bible is not what it claims to be.

  • 1 Tim 3:16-17 says that all scripture is inspired of God ("god-breathed).
  • The Bible also says that God cannot lie (e.g., Heb. 6:18, Titus 1:2)

  Thus, the Bible claims to be the word of a God who cannot lie. Therefore, if the Bible contains any lies, then it is not the word of a God who cannot lie. It is something else.

  Here's where Revelation comes into play. Revelation was written at least 1800 years ago. But Revelation 22:7, 12 states that Jesus is "coming quickly." Well, 1800+ years have passed and Jesus hasn't shown up yet. 1800+ years isn't "quickly" by anyone's standards. Thus, this statement is false. Therefore, the Bible is not what it claims to be.
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  PSacramento

  Ah revelation..divine prophecy? ravings of a persecuted madman? both? neither?

  Things we "know for sure":

  Revelation is full of symbolisim and speaks of past, present and futur events.

  The ending is quite nice, for some and not so nice for others !

  There can be some confusion at times in regards to the nature of what John is seeing and even who at any given times seems to be speaking to him.

  The whole fire and brimstone comes from here and isn't presnt anywhere else.

  John pf Patamos was quite probably NOT John of the GOJ or the letters of John ( Different writing style and uses of words).

  It was not accpeted as canon for sometime and many biblical scholars had issues with it.

  One thing most can agree on:

  Its not a "salad bar" where you can decide to take SOME stuff as literal and some stuff as symbolic on pure whim and base doctrine on said whim !
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  AllTimeJeff

  I wonder if Christian theists would allow someone like me to take a book at face value and judge it when it includes

  • Visions no one but John saw
  • Visions of heaven
  • Visions of dragons and wild beasts with numbers stamped on it.
  • Visions of a whore being torn to shreds and killed by said wild beasts.
  • Visions of the 12 tribes of Israel that do not match the tribes of Exodus (maybe he forgot the last 2?)
  • Warnings in the last chapter not to add or take away from these scrolls.... (pretty intimidating)

  So if I were to take just that sampling at face value.... Well, let me ask you this: If any religious leader from any denomination wrote Revelation today and claimed it as coming from god.....

  ....how do you think it would be received? As valid? Or would we write it off as crazy talk?

  Then why do some insist on taking it seriously just because it became the caboose of a bunch of old scrolls that became known as "The Bible"?
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  snowbird

  I believe the Greek word translated "quickly" can also be translated "suddenly."

  Makes a marked difference, doesn't it?

  Sylvia
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  XJW4EVR

  I have not really studied Revelation since leaving the JWs. In perusing the various commentaries on Revelation, I have found that the commentators read the book with the mindset of the age they live in rather than as a 1st century Jew. Further, the eschatalogical bent of the commentator also colors the commentary.
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  BorgHater

  Farkel, you took the words right outta my mouth lol

  BorgHater x