Biblical Literacy Podcast Unknown

4-7-24 Biblical-Literacy

Mark continued in our class study of Revelation with a reminder that what God says is reality. Mark's lesson had three areas of focus:

1. Reading Revelation in time: The reader is encouraged to understand literature during the time of writing Revelation.
2. Deeper study of Revelation 4-7 and the seven seals: We see heaven's perspective of earth. We must remember that God is the center of the universe, all things.
3. Revelation 8-11 can be read as a parallel passage with seven horns. Mark will dig deeper into this study next week.

Points for home:
• Don’t be afraid; God is in control.
• God sees our tears.
• Prayer makes a difference.

Listen to Mark reveal the meaning of the visions and seals in Revelation 4-7. A seal protects against tampering. It marks ownership. Certified genuineness. God has a plan for eternity as shown in Jesus’ first coming, the age of the church, and Jesus' second coming.

Mark continued the Study of Revelation, Part 10, with a focus of Revelation in Context. Mark begins with an overview of Apocalyptic literature and continues with three points.

1.Revelation in context: type of literature, time of literature, and intense persecution of Christians. Two themes in Revelation: comfort the church in its struggle of evil, and Christ wins over the dragon or satan.
2.Reading Revelation in time: some read the book chronologically. Mark recommends reading it as 7 vignettes or parallel reading, much the way Daniel is read. The Bible teaches us how to read the Bible. Daniel: repeated dreams and visions that show what God is about to do. In Revelation we find three terminal time periods: first coming, age of the church, and the 2nd coming or age to come.
3.Revelation 4-7: God’s plan in history.

Points for home:
1. Do not fear
2. Satan is foiled by his own weapons
3. God will wipe away every tear

Listen to Mark explain how the Bible teaches us to read the Bible by understanding the way God speaks to us through dreams & visions, in history and the future.

March 17, 2024 Pastor Dr.David Fleming
Revelations

Pastor Fleming opens the class by explaining the effect of how we approach the study of Revelations.
Approaches to the study of Revelations include Views, Genres and Interpretation.
He goes into detail on how we approach the text of Revelations can determine what we see when we get there.
For example, we tend to see what we want to see in the scripture.
He refers to this as Confirmation Bias and discusses the meaning of that in great detail.

The Road map for the lesson:
1.John’s approach to Revelations
a.Looking at Revelations from Rev. 1:1-1:3 and then to
Rev 22: 18-21
b.Influences on our approach
1.Example: The Bible, Holy Spirt, Favorite Author, Pastor
c.Various approaches that others are taking
1. How we read and interpret the text.
a. Example: Linear, Circular Progression, Alternating Pattern
b. How are you interpreting the text
c. How do we organize the events referred to in Revelations
d. Points for home
a. Systematic Approaches are helpful
b. Keep an open mind
c. Jesus is coming again
d. Live with that reality in mind

Mark continued teaching in the series on Revelation in three sections:

1. Two remaining letters to the churches - Philadelphia & Laodicea.
The church of Philadelphia receives commendation.
The church of Laodicea is warned about its lukewarm status.
2. Two different ways to read Revelation:
Timeline reading: Chronological
Vignette reading: Vision, story, ending, and repeat
3. Revelation worship scene as described in Chapters 4 & 5
Not all images are symbols
Never lose focus of the message.
All space all time and all there is has God in the center - Theocentric.
Perfect divine praise in 3’s

Points for Home:
 Take comfort God reigns.
 What are you worried about?
 Pray.

Listen to Mark teach how Revelation comforts the church in its struggles
against the forces of evil then, and now.

Mark interviewed Dr. Alister McGrath from Oxford University in England. Dr. McGrath was born in Ireland. He became an atheist and Marxist as a way to deal with the struggle between Catholics and Protestants during the 60s in Belfast known as The Troubles. He became a Christian soon after starting his studies at Oxford.

Dr. McGrath spoke about the power of story to connect the big picture of life with God. Stories are about people who have experienced change. Dr. McGrath spoke about his conversion and his respect and value of many writings, foremost those of C S Lewis.

Listen to Mark and Dr. McGrath discuss the value and purpose of story in transforming lives and effecting change in people’s lives.

Mark continued in the Study of Revelation with Chapters 2 through 3:4. Today
continued with the study of the letters to the 7 churches. Each church had specific
instructions to strengthen them for their mission.
1. Letters:
The letters are written to the 7 churches structured in 7 parts but for all
churches for all time.
2. Examine the letters to: Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis.
3. Point for home:
Wake up and grow!
Listen to Mark provide insight to the people, culture, political, and spiritual
atmosphere of the churches during the time of the writing of each letter. We must grow past where we are today.