The Book of Revelation

 

 

 If Revelation is a revelation

Why is it so difficult to understand?

And why is it so puzzling?

I am sure that was not the plan.

 

Surely it’s full of symbolism

And very strange looking creatures,

Their mixture of human and animal

Makes for a weird picture.

 

It speaks of all kinds of events

The timing of which we are uncertain,

Still many associate these events

With the final curtain.

 

But do all of these events

Relate to the end of time?

I am inclined to think not so

And it’s more that what I opined.

 

 

If we could get the timing right

Perhaps, we would have a clue

Concerning when the events unfolded

To give us a better view.

 

In addition to the fore-mentioned

The context would be critical,

And thirdly, but not finally,

Distinguishing the symbolic from the literal.

 

Some things we have seen as literal

Surely cannot be so,

So the meaning of the symbology

Would be something we ought to know.

  

The Bible must be taken as a whole

And is best at explaining itself,

Take the Word away from the Word

And there is absolutely nothing left.

 

So what Jesus said is critical

As it relates to the book of Revelation,

If we can uncover that important link

There would be less misapprehension.

 

We focus on the judgments

Without quite understanding them

And miss the benefits we already have

And therein lies one problem.

 

Revelation is about a journey

It is not simply about the last day,

In fact it is more about Jesus Christ

And the new covenantal way.

 

 

It is the person and work of Jesus

And the Church, his chased bride,

The spiritual and physical resurrections

Of those for whom he died.

 

When viewed in New Testament light

The imagery becomes quite clear,

And much of the current speculation

Simply disappears.

 

The prophetic utterances of the day

Conflict with those in the Word,

And the time setting for Jesus’ return

Is becoming more and more absurd.

 

Let us take our eyes off Israel

And focus on the Gospel of salvation,

Bearing in mind the great commission

Of reaching every nation.

 

Stewart Russell © October 2019