Insight from Revelation 1:<\/p>\n
This part of the book is important because it introduces the entire book (in literature, an introduction like this may be called a prologue). It provides details about the book itself (the name of the author, the name of the people the author was writing to, the circumstances under which it was written, and the reason why it was written), it prepares the reader for what is to come, and it tells the reader what is expected from him or her.<\/p>\n
It will be of great help to the preacher or teacher to read the conclusion of Revelation (22:6\u201321) immediately after reading the introduction. These two sections of Revelation are connected and they emphasize the reasons why this book was written. It is easy, if the introduction and conclusion are ignored, to misinterpret the message of Revelation and to focus on matters that are not important. Understanding the beginning and end of the book will help the preacher or teacher stay focused on the most important points of the book.<\/p>\n
Notice the connections between the introduction and the conclusion: First, both the introduction and the conclusion emphasize that this book is a gift from God and from Christ (1:1\u20132 and 22:6, 16). It is not a strange book and it is not to be avoided. It is a gift.<\/p>\n
Second, both the introduction and the conclusion emphasize that this book is for the churches (1:3\u20134 and 22:16). Third, both the introduction and the conclusion emphasize that \u201cthe time is near\u201d and that Jesus is \u201ccoming soon\u201d (1:1, 3, 22:6, 7, 12, 20). Thus, this book is intended to be read with urgency.<\/p>\n
Fourth, both the introduction and the conclusion emphasize that blessing rests on the those who read these words and obey them (1:3 and 22:7). Since God is expecting the churches to not only read the words but also obey the words, it is clear that God needs to give the churches everything necessary to understand the book so that they can obey it. This is why he has given us his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to the churches so that we can understand God\u2019s words and so that we can obey them (see John 14:15\u201317). Fifth, both the introduction and the conclusion emphasize the greatness of Jesus (1:7, 12\u201320 and 22:12\u201316). A proper understanding of this book must result in worship of Christ.<\/p>\n
The preacher or teacher needs to constantly remember the things emphasized in the introduction and conclusion. It is not important that the preacher or teacher (or the people listening) understand every symbol within this book. It is important that the preacher or teacher uses this book to urge the church to godliness, to help the church persevere in the midst of great suffering, and to cause the church to worship Christ with great joy.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_crdt_document":""},"class_list":["post-4738","reading-plan","type-reading-plan","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan\/4738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-plan"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/reading-plan"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/handstotheplow.org\/om\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}