Why is Revelation’s first-century historical context important to understanding the book? How has your understanding of Revelation changed after learning more about its historical context?

[Austin]

Revelation’s first-century historical context is important to understanding the book because this is an important principle when interpreting Revelation that any interpretation of Revelation John could not have intended, and his first-century readers couldn’t have understood, is probably in correct.

I learned to read Revelation from their historical context. What the author trying to address to his readers and his purpose given to their needs.

[Austin]

The seven churches of Asia Minor accepted Revelation as a letter, a prophecy, and apocalyptic. Accepting that understanding means that John would have been writing to them about current times (oppression by the Roman Empire), a time somewhat different than our current times….or is it really that different? John’s warnings of the evil of the current ruling organization still holds today in much of the world, but the people of the first-century churches may not of understood why they were persecuted by the Romans. Perhaps they thought they had been abandoned by God.
Since reading the novel series “Left Behind”, I have been more prone to seeing only the prophetic side of the Book of Revelation – looking for signs to watch for in the future or to match current world situations to the symbolic descriptions John used in writing the book. I hadn’t given much thought to historical context before, but obviously John was writing to the current world situation and was addressing the seven churches.

[Austin]

Most tend to read Revelation as only prophecy. But John wrote the book of Revelation so that the 1st century readers could understand what was happening around them by using symbols and images. This not helped them to understand their present day circumstances, but also us in our day and what will be the future our heavenly world.

[Austin]

The first century historical context is important to understanding the book because it was written to the first century Christians to help them deal with problems they were
encountering in their daily lives. I forget that Revelation was primarily written to the first century Christians and I try to apply it to modern day happenings.

[Austin]

We tend to have short memories and lose sight of the larger picture, ONLY seeing today’s events in light of our circumstances. It is good to ground ourselves in the events of John’s day, his purpose and the message to his listeners.