Revelation 21:1-8 in text and preaching/Openbaring 21:1-8 in teks en prediking

• Published in: In die skriflig : tydskrif van die Gereformeerde Teologiese Vereniging Vol. 49; no. 2
• Main Author: Bothma, Gerhard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: African Online Scientific Information Systems (Pty) Ltd t/a AOSIS 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Analysis; Apocalypse; Preaching
• ISSN: 1018-6441
• DOI: 10.4102/ids.v49i1.1932

Revelation 21:1-8 presents an important turning point in this book. A new heaven, a new earth and a New Jerusalem are introduced. The old has passed. The new has come. How should Revelation 21:1-8 be read, interpreted and understood? How should this text be preached? These and other questions are asked in this article. Because of its literary genre, amongst other factors, the Book of Revelation poses unique challenges to anyone who wants to interpret and understand or preach about it. Revelation 21:1-8 is investigated by engaging the text and homiletic theory with each other. By utilising a literary-esthetical approach to preaching in a changing culture--as developed by Cas Vos en Cas Wepener--the new heaven and earth, the new Jerusalem and the song 'Hot Gates' are engaged with one another in order to find possible new meanings. By working intertextually and inculturating, parameters for the explanation and understanding of Revelation 21:1-8 are explicated and suggestions with regard to preaching this text are made. Openbaring 21:1-8 bring 'n belangrike wending in hierdie boek. Die koms van 'n nuwe hemel, 'n nuwe aarde en 'n nuwe Jerusalem word aangekondig. Die oue is verby. Die nuwe het gekom. Hoe behoort Openbaring 21:1-8 uitgele, vertolk en verstaan te word? Hoe behoort daar oor hierdie teks gepreek te word? Hierdie en nog meer vrae word in hierdie artikel bespreek. Vanwee onder andere die literere genre daarvan, stel die boek Openbaring unieke uitdagings aan diegene wat dit wil uitle, verstaan en daaroor wil preek. Deur Openbaring 21:1-8 en homiletiese teorie met mekaar in verband te bring, word hierdie Skrifgedeelte vir die prediking ontgin. Deur die benutting van 'n literer-estetiese benadering tot prediking in 'n skuiwende kultuur--soos deur Cas Vos en Cas Wepener ontwikkel--word die nuwe hemel en aarde, die nuwe Jerusalem en die lied 'Hot Gates' met mekaar gekombineer om nuwe betekenismoontlikhede te ontdek. Deur intertekstueel en inkulturerend te werk te gaan, word parameters vir die uitleg en verstaan van Openbaring 21:1-8 geformuleer en voorstelle vir die prediking van hierdie Skrifgedeelte word gemaak.