Encouragement in times of suffering

The book of Revelation for most is a mystery … the book where they try to crack the code. So what do you do with this book. Well, first and foremost, it is a letter with echoes from the beginning to the end. It is a pastoral letter to encourage God’s people in a time of persecution and suffering. But what about its relevance for today? It is both for now and it is also a book of prophecy.

Apocalyptic images contained in the book are not to be taken literally. It is not a puzzle book to be solved but a picture book to give encouragement. It is a blessing … but only if we take what it offers to us. In Chapter 1 we find that Jesus is the ruler over all God’s creation echoing what he said … ‘I am the Alpha and Omega.’ He is also the one who has freed his people from their sins by his blood. What was once applied to Israel is now applied to the church.