THE SEVEN REVELATIONS OF 'THE LAMB - Part 8
Biggest trouble is though, most see it as a future event rather than a current possibility!
The seventh and final revelation of 'The Lamb of God'.
Looking at the book of Revelation, we need to understand that its apocalyptic writing style is highly symbolic. It was written to believers, in a time of persecution towards the end of the first century. To keep the believers safe, much was written in a code that they but not their persecutors, would understand.
We also need to understand that in Jewish culture, life is regarded as a process, a progression, whereas we view it as a series of events. Hence prophecy, in Jewish thought, is ongoing. An earlier prophecy can be expected to have past, present and future fulfilment. However, with our Western (Greek) understanding, we look at Revelation as a series of one-time events. So we discuss whether their fulfilment is past, present or future. We have Preterists, Historicists, Futurists, Pre and Post Millennialists. Yet in Jewish thought, all could possibly be true! For prophecy is expected to have past, present and future meanings. Now that's a thought!
While, with our Western outlook, we view the Kingdom of God as coming at the end of the age when Jesus returns, Jesus, a Jew, revealed it as a spiritual kingdom that exists now for those prepared to grasp hold of it, as well a physical one later. Like God, the kingdom has always been there. We need to absorb the Jewish way of reaching out to a God who has always been, and always will be there. In a similar way we need to seek the kingdom now.
To read the rest of this article and other articles in this series visit:
wwj.org.nz/teachings/
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES
290 Flaxmere Ave, Hastings, New Zealand
www.wwj.org.nz
'GROWING BELIEVERS INTO DISCIPLES, UNITED IN CHRIST, REFLECTING JESUS TO THE WORLD'
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