Revelation: Background and Commentary

In the many years that I've been teaching adult Sunday School and leading Bible studies, Revelation remains the single most requested book of the Bible. Yet Revelation is also one of the most difficult books in the Bible to interpret - and, indeed, a wide range of interpretations have been offered up over the 1,900 years since it was written. How one interprets Revelation often reflects on one's personal theological and even political views. Interpretations range from "it's all metaphor" to "it's a blueprint for the future". In this study, we'll begin by positioning Revelation among the long Jewish and early Christian tradition of apocalyptic writings - including the period "between the Testaments". We'll finish with a chapter-by-chapter look at Revelation itself.