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Sermon: Rev 4-16 Intro

Rev Ch 4-16


Introduction


I find it exciting to be studying again this mysterious
book - Revelation. It is, of course, of special
significance because it is Jesus ‘last words’ to his
church. 1v1 tells us it is ‘the Revelation of/from Jesus
Christ’. The ‘Omega Word’ of the Person who
describes himself in v17 as ‘the First and the Last’.


It is a book which is at one and the same time both
compelling and baffling. Baffling to the point that at
times we seem to get hopelessly lost in trying to come
to grips with it and are tempted to give up. Perhaps that
is why there is a special blessing for persevering with it
(v3). To encourage us to stick with it. In any case, I
hope as we grapple with its middle section over the
next couple of months, for that is the section we will be
studying this winter- Ch 4-16, we will experience this
blessing together.


We studied the first three chapters about a year ago.
Tonight’s study is something of a recap and an
overview to bring us up to speed and hopefully enable
us to see the wood from the trees in the difficult section
of 4-16. Its a safe principle when studying the bible,
never to attempt to interpret the detail until you have a
grasp of the big picture.


How do we grasp the big picture? How are we to get a
handle on this complex and confusing book?


Well, if principle number one in interpreting the bible is
never to define the detail until you grasp the big
picture, principle number two is let the book itself
guide you in how to understand it. We need to look
for clues in the book itself which will direct our
thinking and aid our understanding. And these clues are
often to be found, naturally enough, in the introduction.

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About John

Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.

These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.

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