Rev 13

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Rev 1-3

• A Letter from Heaven

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Here there be dragons
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George Bernard Shaw

• a curious record of the visions of a drug
  addict

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The basic message

• God wins..The rest is just details

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Like watching the Simpsons
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Eugene Peterson

• The challenge with Revelation is not to find an
  answer to all its obscurities, but to set
  yourself the task of not overlooking the obvious.

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Reading Evanescence literally

• I linger in the doorwayOf alarm clock
  screamingMonsters calling my name
• Let me stayWhere the wind will whisper to
  meWhere the raindropsAs theyre falling tell a
  story

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Core Principle 1

• Revelation is apocalyptic literature meaning
  it is heavy on its use of symbolism and imagery

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Why images?

• sometimes things are said better with images and
  symbols.
• sometimes you can do more to change peoples
  lives by speaking in pictures, and not just in
  words.
• Think about the Prodigal Son

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The power of images

• Referential where they refer to something
  specific, like a person or event
• Expressive where they express meaning but do
  not specifically refer to something

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Core Principle 2Revelation is a letter

• So what if its weird the whole thing is a
  letter!
• Look at the way it starts
• John,
• To the seven churches in the province of Asia
• Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who
  was, and who is to come, and from the seven
  spirits before his throne, and from Jesus
  Christ, who is the faithful witness, the
  firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the
  kings of the earth (Rev 14-5)
• Look at the way it ends
• The grace of the Lord Jesus be with Gods people.
  Amen. (Rev 2221)

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Geographical Map
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Smyrna
Ephesus
Thyatira
The Seven Churches
Laodicea
Philadelphia
Pergamum
Sardis
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A handy-dandy test for you

• If someone gives you an interpretation of
  Revelation that pays no attention to how its
  original recipients heard it you can throw it
  in the bin.
• When you are reading a commentary on Revelation
  it should talk to you as much about the first
  century as it does about the twentieth century

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The situation to which the letter was written

• The rise of emperor cult all throughout the
  society
• Building temples to the emperor
• Treating the emperor as if he were God
• Became fundamental to social behaviour to honour
  the emperor
• You were regarded as a deviant if you didnt
  follow along

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Jesus has a different word for each of his
churches

• Ephesus renew your first love
• Pergamum stop compromising
• Thyatira stop compromising
• Smyrna remain faithful, even if you die
• Sardis revive your dead faith
• Philadelphia hold on and endure
• Laodicea stop being lukewarm in your commitment

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Is there only one problem in Revelation?

• For some the problem was that they were suffering
  for their faith, and they needed encouragement
• For others, the problem was that they werent
  suffering enough, and they needed to renew their
  commitment to Jesus