Evangel Baptist Church, Taylor, Michigan where my brother Ken was Senior Pastor for several years celebrated the church’s 75th anniversary in 2006. Dr. James Grier was one of the former Pastors at Evangel and during the celebration spoke on Revelation 5. During his message he stated something I think is very helpful in addressing the challenges many have when reading Revelation.
In his words:
In the book of Revelation don’t ask questions. Just let the metaphors overwhelm you. Don’t sit there and try to figure out every detail. In point of fact if you want to master this book read it from Revelation 1:1 right through Revelation 22 in one sitting so this whole book comes together in all of it’s wonderful imagery flows over your mind. Don’t ask questions like when, why, how, they’re the wrong questions. We’re in the kind of literature that is meant to be imaginative and to cause us to begin to grasp in categories that we don’t feel comfortable with.
Listen to the whole sermon on Revelation 5 here.