Series: The Radical Call of Jesus
Message: Radical Church
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Daily Walk: Japhet De Oliveira
Refresh: Open with prayer. Read or listen to Psalm 97:10-12.
Read: Revelation 1:1-3:22 (NLT).As you read the New Living Translation, note 1–3 insights..
Reflect: Written using symbolism, the book of Revelation is a marvelous piece of intricate art. If you allow the text to speak for itself, you can’t help but be inspired by God. But what is the best way to approach the book and allow it to influence your heart? How do you divide it up? What is the best approach? While chapter division and headings give you some insights, the most popular approaches have been to look for patterns. Chiastic structures within each section and throughout the book provide focal points—for instance, the book has a center section battle between Jesus and Satan (11:19–13:18). Steve Case and Daniel Wysong, in their book Finding Jesus in the Book of Revelation, provide one of the best approaches to understanding the book, and their website (www.Revelation101.com) is a great resource. The sanctuary model shows seven scenes that all open in the sanctuary and, at chapter 11 verse 19, switch from the historical line-up to the end of the world. The threefold structure, as Ranko Stefanovic shares in his book Plain Revelation, divides the book up into three main sections, each starting with a new vision of who Jesus is.
Apart from the prologue (Rev. 1:1–8) and the epilogue (22:6–21), the main body of Revelation falls into three distinctive parts: (a) the messages to the seven churches, which primarily focus on the historical situation within these churches in Asia Minor during John’s time (1:9–3:22); (b) the historical part, which primarily focuses on history’s unfolding from the first century until the end of time (chaps. 4–11); and (c) the eschatological part, which primarily focuses on the time of the end and the events leading up to the coming of Christ and the establishment of God’s kingdom (12:1–22:5). These divisions are related to the three periods of history within the book’s perspective: the time of John, the Christian age, and the end time (pp. 8–9).
Stefanovic further comments in a second book—Revelation of Jesus Christ—that the seven churches also reflect the position of a seven-branched lamp stand (p. 80). To Christians at that time, this connection would have been clear as they would have been deeply steeped in sanctuary rituals and metaphors. Tomorrow I’ll share the parallels as this will be the third time you have read the chapters.
Recalibrate:
Respond: Pray for the bright light of Jesus to be present in our Church.
Research: Find a map of the seven churches and trace the route that would have been used.