Preaching and Teaching from the Book of Revelation

Preaching and Teaching from the Book of Revelation

Poling J. SUN

Although the Book of Revelation is a part of the Christian Canon, its significance is not reflected in its use in the Sunday pulpit or Bible teaching class. Ironically though, public talks on the Book of Revelation like those “End Time Prophecies” have drawn huge attendance. The root of this absurdity is an issue of interpretation. For the Book of Revelation is notoriously difficult to interpret. Innumerable attempts have been made to make sense of the Book of Revelation, and quite often a variety of interpretations could in fact give rise to disputes and even conflicts within communities of faith. These failures might therefore suggest that Revelation is best left on the shelf, not preached or taught.

This article suggests that the understanding of Revelation has been hindered by its genre and literary style, the matters with which most modern readers are not familiar. An investigation of these issues should open the possibilities of preaching and teaching the Book of Revelation. This article therefore explores the following issues: genre, historical setting, structure, and theological motifs. The article concludes with suggestions for utilizing Revelation in preaching and worship.