revelation and the end of all things (or the beginning??)
so i just finished the secret message of jesus and have to say that if you have ready anything by brian before, then just read the last 2 chapters. most of the book felt like review to me, but these last 2 chapters were great. the second to last chapter is on revelation and the last one is on heaven. brian points out that in order to understand revelation properly we must place it properly, and figure out what kind of liturature it is. the genre that revelation fits in is known as jewish apocalyptic; and jewish apocalyptic is part of a larger genre known as literature of the oppressed (p. 175-176). when i begin to read revelation again in this proper context, a lot comes to view and to life and makes more sense. the original readers of this book lived in constant threat of religious oppression from Rome. so obviously you cant speak/write of criticism of this government and instructions for a new 'kingdom'. so instead of writing about the roman empire, you write of the 'beast'. and you dont talk about present corrupt religious authorities; you personify them as a false prophet. you dont talk about an emporer; you talk about a dragon (p.176). wow. this opened my eyes big time to understanding this book deeper. check out what he says here: "if revelation were a blueprint of the distant future, it would have been unintelligible for its original readers, as well as the readers of all succeeding generations, and would only become truly and fully relevant for one generation - the one who happened to live in the one period of time it is prognosticating about. but if revelation is instead an example of the literature of the oppressed, full of ever-relevant warnings and promises, it presents each generation with needed inspiration and wisdom and encouragement. in this light, revelation becomes a powerful book about the kingdom of God here and now, available to all." yeah! maybe if i were to understand this a little in high school and college i wouldnt be afraid to talk about it with doubting friends and stay clear away from it. i mean come on...i always avoided it, at all costs!! haha! and now in understanding its context it brings new life for me. and makes much more sense then before. after this chaper on revelation he dives into the topic of heaven - and calls is the harvest of the kingdom. i must admit, this new understanding of heaven being here now - the kingdom coming here, not us going to heaven - has been so freeing and great, but a question that has come from it is what happens to everyone that dies before heaven gets here - before all is made whole again on this earth? and it is a question that i tend to stay away from and glad that brian sheds some light on it here in this chapter. one comment after exploring what jesus and paul have to say about the resurrection that brian gives seems a little like a cop out to me. i think there is some validity to it but still frustrates me too. here it is: "perhaps details would preoccupy us, distract us from where our focus should be. perhaps all we need is the challenge, the invitaion, the enticement to risk everything in faith for this vision of an eternal creative project of God...to see the only reward worth having as the reward of being part of the kingdom of God, both now in this life and after death too." so i guess i just want to know what the answer is...what happens when we take our last breath, when this life ceases here on earth and jesus hasnt returned and heaven hasnt come here fully? and maybe brian is right - it isnt worth knowing, not really importand to what life is... all that to say i would like to do some more reading and study on it. brian quotes cs lewis a lot in this last chapter - so i will be checking out the great divorce, but does anyone have any other insight/books to reccomend on this thought? so a lot to digest, i am still digesting it and just thinking out loud here. in other news, i started on nt wright's simply christian and i am diggin it! maybe he's got some insight as well... happy saturday! go red wings!
I picked up another book cause it seemed like review to me also and I was slowing down a bit with it. I am definately gonna have to pick it back up.
Go Red Wings
-J
Posted by
jason |
4/23/2006 06:42:00 AM
Jason, I wonder if you have ever read any other books on revelation. I would pick up Revelations Unvieled and see what you think of it. I know it is by Tim Lahaye, which I am not much for, but he is an excellent writer. I think you will find this viewpoint on Revelation to be another interesting viewpoint, could both parties be right? Could this have been a document for the past and a document for the future? A lot of recent discussion has taken place, I am more on the side that the tribulation is to come . . . your thoughts?
Posted by
Chad K Miller |
4/29/2006 05:13:00 PM
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