Thomas Schreiner on Revelation with a Fresh Take on the Millennium
Jan 8, 2024
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In this episode, Dr. Thomas Schreiner discusses his new commentary on Revelation, including his fresh take on the millennium. They explore themes in the book, symbolism, authorship, and its relation to extrabiblical material. The guest also shares his journey in wrestling with eschatological positions and highlights the self-destructive nature of evil.
Revelation offers practical, realistic, and encouraging insights for our faith, addressing conflicts and compromises faced by the church.
Understanding the symbolic message of 666 in Revelation provides practical guidance and encouragement for believers, focusing on the corporate nature of evil's kingdom.
Focusing on the big themes of God's sovereignty, the cross and resurrection, and the challenges faced by believers in Revelation can provide insights and guidance for navigating a messy and challenging world.
Deep dives
The Message of Revelation: Encouragement and Hope for Believers
Revelation provides a message of encouragement and hope for believers. It reminds us that God is the sovereign creator and ruler over history. The cross of Christ plays a central role, highlighting that Jesus has defeated death and we will ultimately win. The book addresses the conflicts and compromises faced by the church, providing wisdom for navigating a messy world. It reassures us that God will set things right, justice will prevail, and evil will be defeated. Even the passages on judgment are a call for believers to persevere in a challenging world. Overall, Revelation offers practical, realistic, and encouraging insights for our faith.
Understanding the Symbolism of 666 and the Antichrist in Revelation
The interpretation of 666 and the Antichrist in Revelation has varied throughout history. While some have attempted to identify specific individuals, like Nero or Ronald Reagan, it is more fruitful to understand 666 as symbolic of evil and imperfection. The number signifies the epitome of evil in the kingdom represented by the beast. The focus in Revelation 13:18 is more on the corporate nature of the kingdom of evil rather than a specific individual. This interpretation aligns with the passage's emphasis on the kingdom's symbolism and the portrayal of evil's insanity and futility. The history of interpretation shows that precise prophecies about the Antichrist often prove to be incorrect. Instead, understanding the symbolic message for the church as a whole can provide practical guidance and encouragement for believers.
The Big Themes of Revelation: Sovereign God, Cross and Resurrection, Conflict and Compromise, and Hope in New Creation
When approaching Revelation, it is helpful to focus on its big themes. The book emphasizes God as the sovereign creator and ruler over history, offering comfort and a larger perspective for suffering believers. The central role of the cross and resurrection is highlighted, reminding us that Jesus has triumphed over death and evil. The conflicts and compromises faced by the churches in Revelation mirror the challenges believers encounter in the world. Understanding these themes can provide insights and guidance for navigating a messy and challenging world. Lastly, Revelation instills hope in the new creation, assuring believers that justice will prevail and evil will ultimately be defeated.
Guidelines for Teaching and Preaching Revelation: Emphasize Practical and Pastoral Applications
When teaching and preaching Revelation, it is essential to emphasize the practical and pastoral applications of the book. Acknowledge the challenges and conflicts believers face in a broken world and provide reassurance that evil will be overcome. Focus on God's sovereignty and his ultimate plan to set things right, offering hope and encouragement to the church. Emphasize the centrality of the cross and resurrection, reminding believers of their victory over death. Illuminate the significance of the new creation, highlighting the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the hope it provides for believers. By conveying these key themes and their practical implications, Revelation can inspire and guide the church in its faith and discipleship.
The Value of Revelation: Encouragement and Realistic Insights for Believers
Revelation holds great value for believers, offering encouragement, hope, and realistic insights into the challenges faced in the Christian life. The book provides comfort by affirming God's sovereignty over history and his ultimate victory over evil. It reminds believers of the transformative power of the cross and resurrection, assuring them of their standing in Christ. The depiction of conflicts and compromises experienced by the churches resonates with the realities of life in a broken world. Revelation teaches the ultimate defeat of evil and the coming of a new creation, instilling hope and reminding believers to persevere. By engaging with the themes and messages of Revelation, believers can find guidance, encouragement, and a wider perspective on their faith journey.
This episode is a conversation with Dr. Thomas Schreiner of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He returns to discuss the Book of Revelation, including why he wrote his new commentary (2:12), recapitulation and symbolism in the book (6:12), the book’s relationship to related extrabiblical material (15:36), authorship of the book (22:27), a fresh take on the millennium (29:31), and more. Buy Tom’s books.
*** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests’ views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.
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