Revealing Or Concealing?

From The Christian Reader:

Revealing or Concealing?


by Eric Rauch



The book of Revelation has confounded readers for nearly two thousand years. Countless interpretations of the book have been offered during that time, with new ones coming every year. We can be sure of one thing when we discuss the book of Revelation: disagreements will abound. It is nothing short of ironic that the very book that calls itself a “revelation of Jesus Christ,” is also a book which seems to delight in “concealing”—using images, symbols, and signs—what it is trying to “reveal.” Ambrose Bierce summed up the irony with his usual wit when he defined “Revelation” as: “a famous book in which St. John concealed all that he knew. The revealing is done by the commentators who know nothing.”



While Bierce’s definition may rightly summarize the church’s frustration with John’s book, it does not accurately summarize what the church’s attitude should be towards it. It has long been noted that the book of Revelation is completely dependent on what comes before it, i.e. the rest of the Bible, but this hasn’t prevented scores of individuals from trying to understand the book divorced from the rest of Scripture. Worse yet, interpreters have often tried to interpret the book in light of current events and technological advances. Both of these methods are doomed for failure because they both approach the book as some sort of code, a cryptic message from God about the end of the world that He expects us to decipher. Although the book can be difficult and frustrating at times, we must always keep in mind that the book is called a “revelation,” and those who heed the things in it will be blessed (Rev. 1:3). The book was written to be a blessing, not a curse.



Having already read numerous books on the topic of eschatology (the study of future things), I was not particularly excited when yet another one showed up on my desk. Even though it came from Jerry Nordskog’s publishing company—a friend of ours from the West Coast—I was still a bit skeptical about why we needed yet another book about Revelation. I found it rather amusing then, when I opened the book and found Jerry Nordskog himself saying the very same thing in his Publisher’s Preface:



When my Theology Editor suggested we publish Mr. Uttinger’s book on Revelation, I shuddered, thinking, “Haven’t too many books been written on the subject of eschatology already?” But since the book came from my friend, Rev. Christopher Hoops, and was a short-read, I delved into the book wondering if there would be anything more that could be said about this vital topic. (p. vii)





Get "A Whole New World" from the bookstore

Jerry’s opening paragraph convinced me to take a closer look at the book. I was not prepared for what I was about to read. I have always considered David Chilton’s 700-page commentary, Days of Vengeance, to be the “gold-standard” on a biblical theological approach to the book of Revelation. This is still true. Chilton’s commentary is the most in-depth, verse-by-verse approach that is available to the modern reader. But I also always thought that Chilton was a bit overwhelming for the novice and even the intermediate student. I always hoped that someone would write a primer of sorts, an introduction to the biblical theological method of interpretation that would prepare the reader for the heavy-duty theology of Days of Vengeance. Little did I know it at the time, but Greg Uttinger’s little book, A Whole New World, was exactly what I was waiting for.



Uttinger begins his book with a brief discussion of the imagery of the book of Revelation. This is important since the first verse of Revelation tells the reader that this is going to be a book of signs: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John” (Rev. 1:1). Revelation is not a book of code, it is a book of signs; signs that actually mean something. The interpretation of these signs can only be found by consulting the other books of the Bible, not the newspaper or Nostradamus. In three short pages, Uttinger immediately puts the reader straight on the basic hermeneutic (method of interpretation) of the book of Revelation. As I continued reading through the book (it only takes about an hour), I realized that Uttinger seldom uses more than three pages to make any of his points. His book is not only a helpful study of eschatology, its is also a lesson in brevity and keeping focused on the discussion at hand—no rabbit trails will be found here.



I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are new to the area of eschatology, or if you are a seasoned pro, you will get something out of this book. If nothing else, it serves as a great cross-reference handbook, filled with verses and passages from the Old and New Testament with which to compare the signs and images of Revelation. The Bible is a complete book, not a book of fragments. The book of Revelation is the closing chapter of a progressive revelation that began with the book of Genesis. If we continue to try to rip the book of Revelation out of its historical and contextual framework, we will continue to misunderstand and misapply the book. And since the author states it so well on the back cover, I will allow Greg Uttinger himself to have the final word: “You will find nothing in these pages about World War III, killer bees, Cobra helicopters, or New Age Conspiracies. If you would like to know more about the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and the riches of our inheritance in Him, read on.”