• Play:
  
  Session 4

1. The Importance of Understanding the Historical Background

   • It is easy to forget, but Revelation was written to:

     • Real people at a Real time going through Real issues.

2. The Historical Setting of Revelation Can Be Summarized With One Word: CONFLICT

   • DEFINITION: Conflict – when two people or two kingdoms try to occupy the exact same space at the exact same time.

   • How do we know there is conflict in Revelation?

     • There are over 95 passages that refer to conflicts and/or oppositions.

       • Rev. 1:9; 2:2, 3, 4, 5b, 6, 7b, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17b, 19b, 20-23, 26; 3:3, 9, 12, 16; 5:6, 9, 12; 6:2, 4, 6, 8b, 9, 11, 12-17; 7:2b, 14b; 8:5, 7, 8-9, 10-11, 12; 9:3-11, 15-19; 11:2b, 5, 7, 10b, 13, 18; 12:4, 7, 8-9, 12b, 13, 15-16, 17; 13:6, 7, 10b, 15, 16-17; 14:8, 9b-11, 12, 13a, 19-20; 16:1, 2, 3, 4, 5b, 6a, 6b, 8-9, 10-11, 14b, 19b; 17:6, 14, 16; 18:8b, 20b, 21, 24; 19:2, 15, 17b-18, 19, 20b-21; 20:2-3, 4a, 7-8, 9b, 10, 15; 22:18, 22.19.

   • TWO GROUPS AND TWO METHODS

     • Christians and…

       • Jews in the Roman Empire (cf. Matt. 12:14; 21:33-46; 26:4; Mark 11:18; 12:1-12; 14:1; Luke 19:47; 20:9-19; John 5:18; 7:19, 25; 8:37, 40; Acts 7:54-60; 8:1-3; 9:1-6; 17:5-9, 13-15; 18:6; 21:27-36; 23:1-11, 12-22; Rev 2:9, 14, 20-24; 3:9).

       • Roman Society

         • The Christian message was political (cf. Matthew 6:9; Revelation 1:5)

     • What does the Conflict Look Like?

       • Physical Persecution

         • Examples

           • Pliny the Younger’s (A.D. 111-112) Letter to Emperor Trajan (A.D. 98-117)—Epistles 10.96-97

           • Polycarp (A.D. 69-155)

           • Biblical Texts

             • Rev. 1:9
             • Rev. 2:10
             • Rev. 2:13

         • CONCLUSION: Does this mean that Christians were being killed en mass by an edict from Rome at the time of Revelation?

           • No…but the threat of violence was real.
           • The loss of wealth was real.
           • The loss of dignity was real.
           • And the loss of life was real.

       • Non-Physical Persecution

         • Slander (Rev 2:9)

           • Cannibals
           • Incest
           • Threat to National Security

         • Social Seduction (Rev 3:14-22)

3. Conclusion

   • If our interpretations of Revelation do not take this struggle seriously, we rob the first century Christians of a Revelation that truly impacts their lives—for these are real people, at a real time, going through real struggles.