Opinion of Revelation

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I like it, very surreal and entertaining. Probably my favorite non-Gospel book of the New Testament. Would be cool to see a David Lynch directed film based off of it.

However the "interpretations" some people take are pretty damn horrifying, though admittedly they would be quite amusing and hilarious if it wasn't for the fact they are taken seriously by anyone.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I've read it, but have put off any deep thought on it for two reasons.  The first is that it has little bearing on how we should live our lives.  Regardless of when the end of the world may happen, our own personal end may happen at any time and we should live in a manner consistent with the possibility and hence consistent with the end of the world.  The second is that as Revelation is usually interpreted in a manner dependent upon various Old Testament prophetic books, I want a firm foundation in them before I do anything with Revelation.

[DemPGH]

I like it, very surreal and entertaining. Probably my favorite non-Gospel book of the New Testament. Would be cool to see a David Lynch directed film based off of it.

However the "interpretations" some people take are pretty damn horrifying, though admittedly they would be quite amusing and hilarious if it wasn't for the fact they are taken seriously by anyone.

Haha, yeah, I agree with you here. I'm honestly a little surprised that a literal film or film based on it was not attempted in the '60s or '70s, come to think of it. Even internationally, not just by someone on the fringes of Hollywood. It could have been a visual delight.

Another, better way to do it would be to depict it as symbolizing natural events, phenomena, and people (like red water = red algae, 666 = Nero, e.g.).

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I've read it, but have put off any deep thought on it for two reasons.  The first is that it has little bearing on how we should live our lives.  Regardless of when the end of the world may happen, our own personal end may happen at any time and we should live in a manner consistent with the possibility and hence consistent with the end of the world.  The second is that as Revelation is usually interpreted in a manner dependent upon various Old Testament prophetic books, I want a firm foundation in them before I do anything with Revelation.

I prefer the historical interpretation, that it's about the Roman Empire, and Nero is the antichrist.

[Zioneer]

Oh wow, when I saw the title of the thread, I thought you meant revelation as in God talking to people, (especially in the modern day) and I was all "I'm all for it!", but now I see you meant the actual book of Revelation.

It's decent, I guess. I don't really have a strong opinion on it besides the fact that it's very surreal.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I love it. While I agree with what Ernest said about not really feeling competent to try to interpret it, it's such a great source for imagery and allusions and the raw emotional and aesthetic material of religion in general.

[RFayette]

I've read it, but have put off any deep thought on it for two reasons.  The first is that it has little bearing on how we should live our lives.  Regardless of when the end of the world may happen, our own personal end may happen at any time and we should live in a manner consistent with the possibility and hence consistent with the end of the world.  The second is that as Revelation is usually interpreted in a manner dependent upon various Old Testament prophetic books, I want a firm foundation in them before I do anything with Revelation.

I never understood many Christians' intense interest in the Apocalypse/end days.  Most likely they would die before the trials/tribulations of the end days, and as such, for all intents and purposes, one's fate/judgment would already have been sealed.  (based on their own beliefs)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I've read it, but have put off any deep thought on it for two reasons.  The first is that it has little bearing on how we should live our lives.  Regardless of when the end of the world may happen, our own personal end may happen at any time and we should live in a manner consistent with the possibility and hence consistent with the end of the world.  The second is that as Revelation is usually interpreted in a manner dependent upon various Old Testament prophetic books, I want a firm foundation in them before I do anything with Revelation.

I never understood many Christians' intense interest in the Apocalypse/end days.  Most likely they would die before the trials/tribulations of the end days, and as such, for all intents and purposes, one's fate/judgment would already have been sealed.  (based on their own beliefs)

I can understand it at a personal level.  If one believes that one can fall from grace, then for the world to end while one is still in grace would be a personal benefit.

But at the organizational level, it is odd that the Seventh-Day Adventists have been able to maintain a belief in an imminent end time for almost two centuries now, but if they ever faltered, their church would at the very least collapse into generic Sabbatarianism, but more likely would collapse entirely.  I fail to see how they could remain intact without reverencing Ellen White and I fail to see how they could do that without a belief in Adventism.

[CatoMinor]

Freedom Book. I've been studying it with a group weekly since last November, Its been interesting.

[DC Al Fine]

Kind of overrated.

In the Reformed movement, we often shy away from Revelation due to its association with dispensationalism. I personally prefer he Pauline epistles or the Psalms as far as books of the Bible go.