Synopsis "Apocalypse: Understanding the Book of Revelation"
"Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Revelation 11:15. Apocalypse in Greek means "revealing". The book is not about disaster, it is about the victorious Jesus. Jesus is Lord over all things. He is over The Churches, in Asia Minor. The salvation of people from every tribe, language, people, and nation. He has built an army of people risen to new life through His saving power. He reigns over the world defeating sin, the devil, rulers and spiritual dominions. He conquers evil rulers, overcomes death, hunger and evil empires. He keeps His people through tribulation. We have trouble understanding Revelation because we immediately transfer the context to our own situation. The book was written in the context of the first century A.D., directed toward seven local churches. It repeatedly presents a pattern of Judgment, Redemption and Ultimate Completion, over and over again in a literary style identified as "progressive parallelism". In ultimate completion, those written in the "Lamb's Book of Life" will realize an eternity of living by the river of life and the tree of life. No more hunger, thirst, pain or death. Revelation promises blessedness. The Greek word translated as "happiness" is makarios. Reading this book should encourage endurance in difficulty. Happiness in an uncertain world. Of the dreaded Beast we find out: "They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with Him are called and chosen and faithful." Revelation 17:14. Reading the book in this light will bring happiness.
