Pastor Foltz is Pastor Emeritus of Saint James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg, PA and author of the the Frontline Study content.
Revelation throws together, without any rhyme or reason, just about every theological vision of the future being discussed in his day. That, of course, entices us to find our favorite and read the prophesy entirely from that perspective. It is easy to see how the “religious wrong” do this when they make John’s promise into […]
In the last lesson, I suggested John’s take on the relationship between church and state in his time offers us some help in our own situation. Many of us are seeking new approaches after losing confidence in the two-kingdom theory. The prophet also confronted a government that tried to silence or control the voice of […]
At first, it seems John sees the relationship between the church and state differently than Jesus and Paul. Jesus, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, tells Christians to give Caesar what is Caesar’s in response to a question about paying taxes. In John, he tells Pilate that he does not pose a threat to the Roman […]
If one part of prophecy is explicating God’s promises with visions of the future, John offers one of the most beautiful in all history. God himself wipes away the tears of those who have suffered with the Lamb. The Divine speaks for the first time, comforting his people with the words, “I am making all […]
John has treated us to three versions of the Tribulation. Now in these two chapters, he offers at least two Last Judgments. Two obvious ones employ an Armageddon battle to eradicate evil powers and people. The second of these adds an admissions test based on record books kept in heaven. Two questions arise as you […]
Anyone who studies the development of Revelation as if it were a scholarly work or, for that matter, an unfolding or prediction of future events has to be pulling out their hair as they exclaim, “Oh no, here we go again.” The opening of the 7 seals brought us to the moment when Jesus should […]
The Tribulation’s purge of evil ends with the bowls, the third set of seven visions. Nobody is saved in this one, because only those who know the truth but still refuse to worship God are left. At this point, John completely removes the veil over the Roman Empire by revealing that it is completely controlled […]
When the veil is lifted from heaven, John hears that Jesus began the final stages of salvation at his Ascension. The prophet is among those who think this necessitates a period of Tribulation. It helps to remind ourselves what this entailed, as it is here that most people have trouble with Revelation. The tribulation purges […]
These two chapters lift the veil from heaven so we can see first hand what is happening there. When an angelic voice calls John and places him in his prophetic trance, he finds himself in a throne room at the time of Jesus’ ascension. The prophet describes incredibly magnificent cosmic phenomena and wondrously strange creatures […]
Any decent understanding of Paul’s letters begins with an appreciation that they were written to particular congregations in a specific historical period. They were preserved in scripture, because the apostle handled their problems in a manner that remains relevant for us. So, too, any meaningful interpretation of Revelation depends on discerning the situation John was […]
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