Travelling through the book of Revelation has really brought home to me this outstanding book of the Bible. I have never tackled it before, and for good reason. It is a comprehensive, confusing and difficult book to deal with. That means that the rewards are great for unpacking it. ‘Discipleship on the Edge” by Darrell Johnson has been an invaluable reference book.

Consider just this one phrase, ‘It is Finished” seen a number of times in the book of Revelation. What does that bring to mind? Of course we think of Jesus saying this on the cross. Revelation reveals to us even more of what that phrase actually means. Jesus defeated sin, death and the enemy. This is one key to interpreting Revelation. Look at Johns context. Look at where we see Jesus in the book. Look at where we see the imagery and stories of Revelation in the rest of the Scripture.

Happy with this message, have a watch.

A few months ago my colleague and I were chatting about whether we should do a series on the book of Revelation at Kew Baps.

I sensed we should, but had a bunch of questions and queries about how and why we should do it. Many Pastors deal happily with the first three chapters but leave 4-22 in the too hard basket.

It is a complex book, and the titles of commentaries and other books on it often reflect this. “Revelation for the rest of us” by Scott McKnight is just one that hints that for many it has been put in the category of a book best left to the theologians.

The other dynamic is that Revelation, Prophecy and an understanding of the end times has an interesting place in my own history. Having come from a conservative base my understanding was that Revelation needed to be squeezed into my old mould. And if I took a different approach how would it be received by others?

Truth is, for many church people it is not a book we have looked at that much in the last couple of decades. Now it seems many are looking at it, writing books about, perhaps even doing series on it!

All that to say, I take notice of what God is saying to other churches, particularly if He is saying something to me! So here we go. About to launch into a three month series on this wonderful book.

I recorded a lecture I did on the book, prior to the series. I didn’t put much effort into the technical side of this recording. If I had know so many people would watch it, I would have put more. None the less, it may be helpful.