Purpose Statement
The purpose of this endeavor is to use the original Koine Greek text to discover and articulate a personal message—a direct and non-subordinate understanding that reflects the dynamic and prophetic nature of God's revelation.
This study focuses solely on the language, grammar, and structure of the source text to derive meaning, unconstrained by pre-existing theological frameworks. The Greek language will serve as the essential key, unlocking a non-static message vital for contemporary understanding.
The interpretation embraces the idea of a dynamic God—one who is not static or all-controlling, but is actively involved in a give-and-take relationship with creation, is responsive to human choices, can change His mind, and experiences a range of emotions in response to the world, thereby co-creatively building the future with humanity. The resulting interpretation will be an uncompromised reflection of my voice.
The Open Theism Foundation for the Study of Revelation
The study of Revelation, grounded in the principles of Open Theism, shifts the focus from rigid determinism to a dynamic, real-time relationship between God and humanity, perfectly aligning with the Dynamic God concept.
I. Foundation of Open Theism
Open Theism is a theological position that asserts that the future is not fully settled or meticulously predetermined by God.1 It emphasizes:
God's Knowledge: God is omniscient (all-knowing), but what He knows about the future includes a mix of certainty (His promises, character, and ultimate triumph) and real possibilities based on the genuine freedom He has given to His creatures. The future, in part, remains "open" to be shaped by God's interaction with free choices.2
God's Nature: God is not a static, controlling deity but is dynamic, relational, and responsive.3 He listens to prayers, genuinely grieves human choices, and alters His actions in response to repentance or disobedience.
Human Freedom: Human choices are genuinely free and consequential, making the human contribution a vital, co-creative element in the unfolding story of redemption.
II. Application to the Study of Revelation
Applying Open Theism transforms the interpretation of Revelation from a predictive timeline to a prophetic drama of moral urgency and conditional outcomes.
A. Prophetic Urgency and Choice
Revelation is filled with direct commands to "repent," "overcome," "hold fast," and "keep" the prophetic word. The Open Theism framework takes these commands seriously:
Genuine Conditions: The promises and warnings (like the threat to "remove your lampstand" in Ephesus or the call to "repent and do the first works") are genuine conditions. The future state of the church is not fixed; it depends entirely on its present, free choices.
A Call to Action: The statement "the time is near" (1:3) is not a precise chronological prediction but a proclamation of perpetual relevance and urgency. It demands immediate obedience now, as the human response actively shapes the ongoing outcome.
B. The Dynamic God's Responsive Judgment
The visions of judgment are not inevitable, static decrees; they are responsive warnings from a Dynamic God who interacts with the unfolding drama:
Responsive Intervention: The judgment against "Jezebel" (Revelation 2:22) is not random but a fitting and specific response to the church's prolonged tolerance of sin. It is a reaction to unrepentant human action.
The Conditional Future: The judgment is often issued with a conditional clause ("unless you repent").4 This confirms that the severe prophetic pronouncements are meant to motivate a different future than the one currently being chosen. The outcome remains open, dependent on the church's free will.
By adopting the Open Theism foundation, this study focuses squarely on the immediate moral and ethical demands of the text, viewing the prophetic visions as an urgent call to faithful, co-creative participation with a God who is both sovereign over the ultimate end and genuinely responsive to the choices made in the present.
References:
https://drjohnsanders.com/open-theism/
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/the-dynamic-yet-unchanging-nature-of-god/
https://soteriology101.com/2020/04/20/if-god-changes-his-mind-so-can-i/