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Lesson OneWhat Kind of Book Is Revelation?3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoWhy Was Revelation Written?3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeRevelation Is Too Hard to Understand!3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourIsn’t Revelation a Depressing Book About Doom and Gloom?3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveHow Should We Apply Revelation Today?3 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 265
Discussion Questions
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Why is it so important to understand what type of book Revelation is? How has what you’ve learned in this lecture changed your understanding of the book of Revelation?
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79 Replies
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Understanding what kind of book is Revelation will help the readers to apply the right kind on interpretation. It will also keep the interpretation from going to the extremes.
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It is important to understand what type of book Revelation is so that when you are reading it you are not looking for things that were not intended by the writer. You don’t want to add your own interpretations or read into wha the author was communicating simply because you don’t understand what type of book it is.
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Revelation is a one of a kind book. It is seen as three types, Prophecy, Apocalypse and a letter. If we don’t know the type we have, we can’t understand what we are reading. Revelation always seemed so way out and narrow. I never read it, but Dr. Mathewson, with this lecture, makes this book seem a lot more interesting.
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The explanation of foretelling vs. forthtelling was helpful, as I had not thought of Revelation in this way. I agree with the presenter that we also have to understand the context and audience of John’s day.
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Understanding they type of literature being used in Revelations is helpful. It gives me a better visual and understanding of what was happening in the in the first century. I was completely lost the first time I read Revelations.
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Why is Revelation’s first-century historical context important to understanding the book? How has your understanding of Revelation changed after learning more about its historical context?
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83 Replies
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It is important because the book was written primarily to the first-century readers. The language and symbols must first be interpreted in that light before we interpret the Book of Revelation in the present day context. My understanding has not changed because I always understand the scriptures are meant for the primary readers in the historical time and context , then to the modern day readers.
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If you don’t understand the context of when it was written or who it was written to, then you may misinterpret the content of the book.
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John wrote this letter to the 7 churches in Asia Minor under the Roman Empire. Having a better understanding of them being ruled by a foreign nation and what they were up against.
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John is writing in ways he understands. He has never seen the modern world, and would be flabbergasted in seeing our modern machinery. By reading this letter within the context of the first century point of view, we understand his descriptions in symbolism and the vision he is writing. This lectured has prepared me to learn m ore of this historical context.
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Applying modern understanding to ancient symbols can be dangerous. It can lead to misrepresenting God and His intentions for the text.
My understanding of Revelation or historical context has not changed.
