Revelation Introduction

Revelation Introduction

REVELATION INTERPRETATION

This course of interpretation of the book of Revelation is purely a metaphysical point of view. There is no attempt to deal with the historical aspect of the book. We shall deal with Revelation on the basis of what appears to be the logical place it occupies in the overall metaphysical pattern of the Bible. In general, the pattern is:

1. Old Testament--symbolism within historical narrative; allegories in the form of historical stories; other literary forms, some of which contain metaphysical symbolism, but most of which do not.
2. Gospels--highly symbolic biographies of Jesus Christ, who is the living embodiment of spiritual awareness in man, made possible by the Truth of Christ within.
3. Acts and the Epistles—history and commentaries on Christian church history. Metaphysical symbolism only in a few portions.
4. Revelation—symbolic visions, fantasies, and prophecies. This book contains the deepest and most complex symbolism of all the books in the Bible. It describes the continued unfoldment of a soul after an individual has accepted and come into the metaphysical Truth of Jesus Christ.

NOTE: The most important fact to keep in mind when dealing with an interpretation of Revelation is that no matter how fantastic or complex the language of the narrative becomes, it is really always talking about a SINGLE INDIVIDUAL SOUL, which would be any human being who has committed his life to the living of it according to the Truths revealed by Jesus Christ.