Thinking Differently

As I read the beginning of Revelation and the various commentaries I begin to realize that I've come to some of my own interpretive conclusions that don't necessarily match with any mainstream thought.  Surprised? (Sarcasm alert!) The new question my brain has created today has to do with wondering if there is any significance to there being seven continents. Yes, I'm talking about the land masses of our globe: Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, North America, Antarctica, and Australia.  Since the number seven is symbolically significant in Revelation, is there any significance to there being seven continents?  This is even a new thought to me, but what if each of the seven churches of Revelation represent the churches of each continent?  Have we taken a look at this book from a global, instead of just western perspective?

Before we move any further in our study of Revelation, perhaps we each need to take some time to discover, admit, and write down the way we currently interpret this book. Let's do this without opening the Bible to first see what our current worldview contains. Here are some questions to answer as you pull out your notebook and pen:
  • What are the key events of the book of Revelation?
  • What are some of the symbols contained in the book of Revelation? 
  • What are images or pop culture references that come to mind as I think about this book?
  • If I believe there is a heaven, what do I think heaven looks like?
  • If I think there will be an end to the earth, what do I think the "end times" will be like?
  • When I hear "end times" what descriptive words come to mind?
  • What other books of the Bible or stories from Scripture correlate with the message of the book of Revelation?
  • How do I imagine my life in relation to the revelation of Jesus in Revelation?

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