Admitting My Struggle to Fully Understand Revelation
My journey with Revelation (not Revelations).
As a Bible college graduate and full-time pastor, perhaps I shouldn’t be saying this, but I need to be honest. The more times I read the book of Revelation, the more confused I become.
I understand that this is a book about things to come, and I don’t doubt that these things will come to pass. Nevertheless, like many before me, I find myself trying to fit current happenings into the pages of John’s Revelation of End Times.
As I’ve navigated this journey, I have come to lean on three principles:
1. I want to be prepared.
As a Christian, I fully realize that I must be ready at all times for Christ’s return. In a way, that’s the easy part; at least in the understanding, not as easy to live out every day. Moreover, I understand that no human being will know the day or the hour that Christ will return.
And yet, I don’t want to be the guy adding to Scripture. I don’t want to make assumptions or place my preconceived ideas on what the words may or may not be saying. In the past, pastors and church leaders (not to mention self-proclaimed prophets) who have done that, often end up looking foolish.
2. I want to be prudent.
As I think back on my life and ministry career, I’ve listened to many pastors speak from Revelation. Each one seemingly has the truth, but many of them have a slightly varying account. I understand that they are all more studied than I am, but why are there so many varying opinions?
How do they get so many pieces of the account misinterpreted in comparison to their colleagues? Which opinion is correct? Which pastor has the right interpretation? How can I trust their understanding in comparison to the other?
3. I want to be pliable.
I am certain that I would need to be an expert in ALL Scripture to even scrape the surface of Revelation. Even then, it would seem that I would still have to wait to see what comes to pass. I would have to wait until part of John’s Revelation came to fruition in a factual, tangible way.
By that point, maybe (and that’s still a big maybe) I could claim absolutely what was going on and what was going to take place next. For now, I’ll strive to remain teachable in my reading, studying and accessing all prophetic writings and teachings, including Revelation.
Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts
- In your opinion, why is Revelation so difficult to understand?
- Why are there so many varying opinions among denominations, pastors and scholars?
- How should we approach prophetic writings as a whole?
There’s a small book by Richard Bauckham that’s quite helpful called “The Theology of the Book of Revelation.” It’s a good starting point for seeing what is in the book aside from far-in-the-future predictions. He begins by discussing the kind of book Revelation is and a good approach to reading it. The book has meaning now – it’s not all about the future – and offers comfort to suffering believers and those in persecution. It also has a lot to say about who Christ is. He does get to a discussion of the New Jerusalem, etc., but that is followed immediately by a chapter on what the book means for today.
Obviously, Bauckham is just one guy (a pretty smart one!), and doesn’t have everything just right. Nobody has it all just right. But his book is great because he doesn’t come across as though he has it all put together. He sticks close to the text of Revelation, showing how it relates to the rest of Scripture, and draws pretty modest and Scripturally sound conclusions.
Thanks for the tip Josh! I have read a few books regarding end times (other than those Kirk Cameron gets involved in). Many times, it’s either hype or boredom…sound like your book is neither. Officially added to my book list!
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