So What's In Revelation?
Ask folks what comes to mind when they think of Revelation (not Revelations by the way) and what will they say? Perhaps the Anti-Christ, perhaps the four horsemen of the apocalypse; or perhaps they will think of the seemingly incessant turmoil and violence in the Middle East. Images of destruction, "Hell on Earth," dragons and devils, angels and demons may come to mind. It may be the end of the book with its glorious image of the New Jerusalem coming down to earth. Far too commonly folks read Revelation about the same way they regard Tarot Cards or a daily horoscope. It becomes simply a book about telling the future. I argue that reducing the book to simply a means to tell the future effectively renders impotent one of the most powerful parts of scripture. Yes, Revelation does refer to Christ's return, but it is also much more than that. The trouble with Revelation is that too often we listen to what others say about the book rather than actually reading it our