Revelation for the Rest of Us

A Prophetic Call to Follow Jesus as a Dissident Disciple

By: Scot McKnight, Cody Matchett

Narrated by: Wayne Campbell

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

The biblical Book of Revelation frustrates and fascinates many people with its imagery and apocalyptic tone. Most popular interpretations of the book rely on a perspective known as dispensationalism, popularized by the Scofield Bible and more recently the Left Behind series of novels. Yet there are many problems with this popular way of reading Revelation, and until now, few alternatives have been available that were easy to understand.

In Revelation for the Rest of Us, Scot McKnight with Cody Matchett explore the timeless message of Revelation and how it speaks to us today with a courageous challenge to be faithful witnesses to Jesus while standing against the ever-present reality of worldly authorities. The writer, John, stimulates the imagination to see the world differently, through the eyes of God, presenting a "divine politic" that subverts the anti-god patterns of governments, empires, and those in power.

McKnight addresses the popular misconceptions about the book, explaining what John means in his use of the images of dragons, lambs, and beasts, and how the symbolism of Revelation speaks powerfully to the present day—though not in the way most people think. Drawing from the latest scholarship, they present an understanding of Revelation for anyone interested in deepening their personal study of the Bible as well as preachers looking to communicate this timeless message today.

McKnight offers in this book a discipleship manual for discerning the immoralities of political powers and how the church can be both an agent of resistance and transformation.

John designed his Book of Revelation to disciple readers into dissidents of the ways of the world and empire. John describes that empire with the term "Babylon." Babylon is a timeless image of empire, militarism, economic exploitation, injustice, and oppression. The Book of Revelation disciples Christians through worship and the courageous challenge of faithful, or allegiant, witness to the slaughtered-Lamb. John's dissident disciples can discern the presence of "Babylon" in our world and learn to speak up, speak out, and walk in the way of the Lamb. He disciples us by stimulating our imaginations to see the world and "Babylon" through the eyes of God, and in so doing John presents a "divine politic," a view of government and power that subverts the anti-god patterns of "Babylon" today.

Graphics, appendices, recommended resources, and notes are included in the audiobook companion PDF download.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett (P)2023 Zondervan

Dissident Disciples in Babylon

Great book & great reading. Helpful perspective on understanding the applicability of the book of Revelation for all Christians during all times throughout human history.

Welcome to Babylon

Read it with an open mind and hear what they have to say. Keep our eyes on the Lamb and not the anti christ. Die to self and live for Him. Not this world but the next. We are living in Babylon but this reminds us that the end is not ours to decide but to keep our focus on Him.

Challenging

McKnight, and Matchett present the Revelation as a timeless creative work, meant to orient the heart and mind of the church toward Christ as Lord rather than becoming enslaved to the “Babylons” of every age. Another reviewer mentions resenting the last portion of the book, in which evangelical nationalism is depicted as the American church losing sight of the lamb and falling under the thrall of one of many modern Babylons. This is just one way in which this book is challenging—in the same way Revelation itself was meant to be challenging to the church.

personal agenda

the book was solid until the end where he got political. Republicans are Babylon and democrats are Christians.

Excellent content for 90% until he gets political

The author does a fabulous job providing a hopeful look at Revelation giving us a well researched wholistic view with real applications for today. I would have given him five stars across the board save two conclusions that were not well researched- one if you didn’t take the vaccine you did it out of fear (apparently he did not research the abortive tissue in the vaccine) and two his stance that you can’t be a Christian if you believe J6 was not an insurrection and the election was rigged. He needs someone to wake him up. However on the whole it is still a great book. He should just consider editing it based on new information to make more accurate.

85% is really solid

Most of the book is great information and analysis. The end is a rant on Trump and white evangelicals that is not necessary. Just stop the book there and you will be happy you skipped it.

Reframing Revelation

They did a great job detangling this book off the Bible from its end times prophecy stigma and show the message and application it has for us today.

Makes a lot more sense

For years I’ve heard Christian leaders pontificate on and on about revelation and the end time. Nothing ever settle well in my soul because NOTHING ever came to fruition. “The end” seemed heavily focused on American and its allies while ignoring the rest of the world. “Revelation for the rest of us” makes much more clear symbolic & current conditions of the church using babalyon as its example.

How do we witness inside of a godless world? Revelation gives us that answer according to this book. None of it is simple. It’s incredibly complicated. But Finally! I can see our role much more clearly now and how we are to continue to be like Christ with no personal nor political compromise.

Revelation unpacked

I heard him say it was an accessible book for the masses. It’s a little more scholarly than that, but still more accessible than most work on Revelation. This take on revelation makes so much more sense than the historical code book reading which I formerly subscribed to. Definitely worth your time to take this in.

Dud finish

This book was really great until they decided to go off on a political rant toward the end. What the heck???