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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 264
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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It is very important to understand the type of Book Revelation is to have a better understanding of John’s vision by understanding the types of writing he uses. For example using symbols better describes his vision of what is to come by understanding imagery.
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Why is it so important to understand what type of book Revelation is? The book us based on vision and prophesy of John, and although this can be a foretelling it was also a foretelling too.
How has what you’ve learned in this lecture changed your understanding of the book of Revelation? Yes as the lecture has opened up more if a discussion and wanting to more is more.
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To understand the book of Revelation is to get better way of understanding the book itself.
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Understanding the type of book and the historical context gives the reader greater insight into what the author is trying to say. It is much more difficult to related the book to modern situations. One must see it in the light of first century Christians under the iron thumb of Rome.
I hope to be able to look at the readings as not just a prediction as I have always thought of them, but as a look at the situation in the time frame in which it was written. -
Knowing what type of book Revelation is will help guide how to interpret what’s there. It is a letter from John to real people living under the rule of the Roman Empire, people who were meant to act on the message they received. There is also some foretelling prophecy about events in the future. It’s helpful to see that descriptions of John’s vision are meant to reveal the true nature of reality, as it gives a new perspective for understanding what they could mean.
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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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Understanding the historical context of Revelation is essential to gaining a deeper and more complete understanding of the book. This is because the book is full of symbolism and imagery that would have been familiar to its original readers but may be obscure to us today. By understanding the historical context, we can better understand the symbols and imagery and therefore gain a better understanding of the book’s message.
For example, the book of Revelation refers to the Roman emperor Domitian as the “Beast” (Revelation 13:1). This would have been a clear reference to Domitian for its original readers, who would have been familiar with his tyrannical rule. However, for us today, who may not be familiar with Domitian, this reference may be confusing. By understanding the historical context, we can better understand who the “Beast” is and therefore gain a better understanding of the book’s message.
In addition, understanding the historical context can help us to read Revelation with the right mindset. The book is full of apocalyptic imagery, which can be disturbing and confusing to some readers. However, by understanding the historical context, we can see that Revelation is not simply a prediction of the end of the world, but rather a message of hope and encouragement to Christians who were facing persecution.
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Revelation is, first and foremost a letter from an author to a group of people. This means there was a shared culture that is not our own. If we attempt to force our culture on the letter, we risk going beyond the scripture. I’ve studied this book many times in the past. What was presented in this lecture is material that I am already familiar with so I can’t really add more to the last question.
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Historical context helps establish the language used and the allegories that were necessary during that particular political climate. This is much like Jesus explaining great spiritual truths in examples of everyday life in that particular era of history, i.e, shepherds, fishermen, Scribes and Pharisees, tax collectors, etc., etc.
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It is important to understand the historical context so that we can not only disciple others but also make sure we are equipped to respond to the many ‘mis-interpretations’ of Revelation. Also, Revelation seems to be the ‘least taught/preached’ book of the Bible. I believe understanding the historical context will help me personally understand Revelation.
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It’s important to understand the historical context of the first century because it clarifies the use of imagery. Revelation is a heavy book, and I’ve only ever heard of it taken literally. This has given me a new perspective that I did not think about before.
