The theme that runs throughout the Book of Revelation is: “heaven coming to earth”. The Book of Revelation is written from the perspective of heaven and includes “what must soon take place”, which is God bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth. Jesus Christ, the “Son of Man” in heaven, has already come to earth and taught his followers to pray: “Our Father in heaven, your name be hallowed, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Our prayer is that whatever is true in heaven should be true on earth. The whole Book of Revelation can be understood as the fulfilment of these petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. To achieve the heavenly perspective necessary for writing the book John is “in the spirit” throughout the book, and is given several “visions” of what is in heaven and what comes from heaven to earth in preparation for the kingdom of God to be established on earth.
This study will address “Dispensationalism” - the literal/linear interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Instead of reading the text of Revelation as symbolic Dispensationalists divide the text into several historical eras or dispensations. Beginning in the 19th C. dispensationalists have added words such as “rapture” and “antichrist” to the text of Revelation to support their linear interpretation. Neither of these words appear in the text of Revelation. The result is a corruption of the message of Revelation and a complete misinterpretation of its meaning. Unfortunately, this corruption of the meaning of Revelation has been perpetuated by such recent books as Hal Lindsey’s Late, Great Planet Earth and Timothy LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins Left Behind Series.
Contact All Saints, Mission for link to Zoom sessions at:
.png)