REVELATION: Intermission
REVELATION Number 52
Intermission
In past segments we spent a lot of time examining in detail the ways the Lord Jesus Introduced Himself, what He knows, and what problems He saw. His introductions to each of the seven churches, the things He said He knew and the problems He saw were certainly for the seven real churches in existence in the first century. Nevertheless, we have also seen that The Revelation is a book of signs and symbols and we have shown that letters were written to seven churches to show that the message they contain is for all churches in every time until the Lord returns.
In taking the novel approach of aggregating related segments in the letters, I hope that I have provided you with some insight into understanding how we can apply the truth and guidance in these letters to ourselves in this day. It’s not so much about trying to determine which of the seven churches is most like our own. Rather, it’s about hearing the way the Lord Jesus is with His Church. It’s about listening to how intimately He knows those who are His. It’s about heeding the admonitions He gives and noticing the things He considers important. It’s about finding reassurance that He loves His bride, that He is faithful, and that our reward is secure.
Additionally, I hope that I have provided you with a way to approach your own study of The Revelation (and indeed all of scripture) that will shed new light on scripture that may at first seem unclear, including the book of Revelation.
I know that many find it difficult to wait for what is often seen as the real meat of The Revelation—the chapters that follow the seven letters. I want to get there as badly as you want me to get there. With that in mind, we will move more rapidly through the next components of the seven letters.
Coming in the next group will be “The Consequences”, “Required Changes”, “The Reward” and a closing admonishment to “Listen Up.” I will modify my approach to these. Rather than presenting a segment for each church individually as I have done to this point, I will group all seven of the letters together within each of these categories. I’m hopeful that this too will free you to study the word differently. Perspective is important. It can be easy to get lost in the minutiae and miss the larger picture. In the same way, it’s easy to look at everything from a high level and miss important details. Vary your perspective. I think you’ll find that it pays great dividends with regard to insight.
By taking this approach I hope to show even more clearly how the Church in this time can benefit from the message of the Lord Jesus to His Church in every time.
