Background

Before we open Revelation itself, it helps to lay a foundation in four areas.

• The historical situation of the first readers. What challenges were they facing, and which topics in the book were likely addressed to those challenges? How would they, as first-century readers, have understood what they were hearing?
• The type of literature we’re reading. Should we take everything literally, or is much of it symbolic? Either way, how does recognizing the genre help us see where the writer’s real emphasis lies?
• The structure of the book. Where does one section end and the next begin, and what is the key statement that each section is built around?
• The role of Israel. As a capstone to all of this, we need a clearer understanding of how Israel fits into the book’s argument.

Details