Bible Question: I am trying to understand the book of Revelations. It has always been hard for me to read it because I don't understand it. I ask God and the Holy Spirit for understanding, but I still don't. How do I understand this very important part of the Bible? |
Bible Answer: Greetings 1Dove! The book of Revelation is difficult for any Christian to grasp entirely, so you are not alone! :-) Even though this book is one of the most difficult to understand, God has placed it in the Bible for a good reason- to show us that the final showdown between God and Satan is imminent, and that the wicked will be forever destroyed. It also gives us a glimpse of Christ's Return and of an eternity of glory and blessedness in heaven! Such hope helps to spur us on in our faith to the very end! "For an adequate understanding of Revelation, the reader must recognize that it is a distinct kind of literature. Revelation is apocalyptic, a kind of writing that is highly symbolic. Although its visions often seem bizarre to the Western reader, fortunately the book provides a number of clues for its own interpretation (e.g., stars are angels, lampstands are churches, 1:20; "the great harlot," 17:1, is "Babylon" ..., 17:5,18; and the heavenly Jerusalem is the wife of the Lamb, 21:9-10)." (1) I hope that this helps! Blessings to you, Makarios (1) Zondervan NASB Study Bible, 1999, the Zondervan Corporation, pg. 1846. |