The Book of Revelations

At first glance, the book Revelation can be quiet intimidating. It is unlike any other book with in the bible. Still, it offers the careful reader a wealth of knowledge, comfort, and information. Why read the book of Revelation? It is not just a book of woes and warnings. It is also a book of encouragement and great comfort.

Just as the Old Testament literatures are filled with signs and symbols so is the book of Revelation. It was written in apocalyptic speech. "Apocalyptic" speech is a phrase we moderns dug up. We use it to denote speech, which is made of symbols (McGuiggan, 1976). We must be sure to remember it is a spiritual book with a purpose. Its meaning and purpose is not some deep secret found in between the pages. It is there for the discerning reader to discover.

It is imperative to recognize those that listening for the word of God, we will hear His message. Moreover, the opposite is true, those who are not listening or focusing on God will miss the message. This is how the word reaches its intended target. The target becomes a self-select group by choosing to turn their heart and mind toward God.

The symbolic language of Revelation also becomes a timeless message for Christians of all times. Christians that avoid the book of Revelation lack a good theological understanding of God plan for humanity. It is unfortunate that thousands of Christians deliberately avoid reading the book of Revelation (Mindling, 2004). They miss God's message of hope and encouragement. Their theology is incomplete without a working knowledge of what is contained within the book. Today Revelation is directed to God's people as a book of encouragement.

Hermeneutics

Hermeneutics is the interpretation of biblical scriptures. Hermeneutical principles tell us the read must consider the context of the scripture in order to have a better understand of what is being taught within the scripture. Through hermeneutical, the reader can have an appreciation of who's doing the talking, who's the intended audience, what's being said, what did it mean to them during the time it was written, and how does it apply to our life today.