So You Want To Read The Book Of Revelation

And you should!

Our Life Group just finished a study on The Seven Churches in Revelation 2 & 3. I assured both the Pastor and the Life Group several times that this was not a back door into a study of the whole book. So, when we finished chapter 3 and the church of the Laodiceans, we were done. But, as you prepare for chapters 2 and 3, you naturally interact with the rest of the book. I encouraged the brothers and sisters in our Life Group to read the rest of the book. I encourage everyone reading this to read it. And to that end I wanted to make a few (5) posts on So You Want To Read The Book Of Revelation...and you should! I have taught this book several times and would love to offer a brief commentary, but in lieu of that I would like to offer what I hope will be a few helpful tips for understanding this book. Let me hasten to add, I don't mean to come across as a "know it all", or an expert on everything Revelation, or even that I have mastered everything in the book. None of which is true. But I have read it several times, taught it a few times, and read and heard a lot concerning it. My hope is that I can offer something to help you as you read it.

I have encountered quite a number of believers who are kinda scared of the book, pastors even who are afraid to teach it. I admit it is difficult, full of symbols, and lots of judgment and wrath, but this book was not given to us to scare us, rather to encourage us as we live for Jesus.

Purpose of Revelation 
What is the purpose of the Book of Revelation? Why has God given it to us? I wrote about this a few years ago. I still think it is spot on! You can read it here.


How to approach the book
How should we approach this book? How are we to understand it? This is one reason why people are afraid of it – there are so many different and conflicting ways people approach it!

That being said, I believe there are two basic ways the book is understood. They are Preterism and Futurism. Do I hear you asking, What?!?

Simply put:

Preterism – this approach that says, “Everything or nearly everything in Revelation has already taken place.” This view sees the events described as being fulfilled in the days of the hearers (or shortly thereafter). The seals, the trumpets, the bowls of wrath, the beast, all refer to events during the lifetime of the hearers. “Preterists believe that most or all of Bible Prophecy (especially the big three events, the Second Coming, Resurrection, and Judgment) has already been fulfilled in Christ and the on-going expansion of His Eternal Kingdom.” (International Preterist Association)

Futurism – this approach says the events described in chapter 4 onward are (mostly) in the future. Many who hold this view also believe in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church (while this is perhaps the most popular and well known version of futurism, it is not the only version).

You will have to decide which approach you will take to Revelation. Personally, I believe the events described in much of Revelation are yet to happen. Futurism. But it is a classic futurism. This was very popular among the earliest fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, down to Hippolytus (all before 325). And no one in the early church believed in a secret, pre-tribulation rapture of the church. As I said, you have to decide your approach. Personally, I believe this is future. The seals, trumpets, bowls, beast, second coming, and resurrection are yet to happen.

Now, back to the purpose of the book and why we should read it. As I wrote back in 2015,

“This book reveals to us that God is in control, that God has a plan, and that God will see to it that his plan is carried out. And there is the encouragement for us, God is on the throne, God is in control. And this is one of the main purposes of the book, to offer encouragement. No matter what is going on around us, God is on the throne.”



Next post: The Outline of the book and the End in Revelation