![]() The purpose of this paper is to analyze the hermeneutical approaches of several key eschatological positions concerning the book of Revelation, and in particular, the various Kingdom views associated with each approach. This paper was presented at both the Far-West Evangelical Theological Society meeting held at San Diego Christian College (San Diego, CA) and the annual Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics conference held at Grace College and Seminary (Winona Lake, IN), both in 2016. This paper explains how people have been financially exploited, which has led to loss of "Faith" and lack of personal economic security. Most Africans live on less than $1 a day and many proactive youths are still unemployed. So there is no impact of the prosperity message on the people. Africa has many Churches growing rapidly yet remains the only region that poverty has increased in the past two decades. The paper catalogues the religious impact of prosperity gospel on sustainable economic development of African nations. This paper explains the reasons prosperity preaching is hurting Africa and examines the capitalistic tendencies that have replaced spiritual growth and moral sanctity towards an eternal life. The doctrine emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment, proposing that it is God's will for the people to obtain wealth, health and total success in the world. The micro and macro economies retrogression in many African nations enable some charismatic and neo-Pentecostal preachers to incorporate prosperity messages into sermons. The social-economy context of prosperity theology has become a great attraction to impoverished people of Africa. Priests now use luxurious cars, fly expensive private jets and are escorted by well-armed military/police officers. This orientation has been discarded for prosperity vocation in this 21st century. They toiled selflessly for their flock without caring for personal material benefits. They upheld what is known as "Vow of Poverty", which was taken prior to sacerdotal ordination. This paper critically examines all these implications along the imagery of the seven churches in Revelation.īefore the advent of African priests, expatriate missionaries in Africa were noted for their detached and abstemious ways of life. The church ministers are embroiled in personal empowerment and churches have lost their power. ![]() There is no indication through the witness of church members that faith offers any effective defense against sin's pervasive influence. The 21st century churches in Africa are badly divided by sectarianism and are buried under avalanche of false doctrines that are incorporated in prosperity theology and syncretism. From this understanding, John painted a vision of God's final triumph over evil that has sustained many Christians in later eras. The letters to the seven churches indicate a situation of crisis, probably brought on by Roman persecutions of the Christians. Undoubtedly, John spoke to the situation of his day that is also relevant for 21st century churches. Some held that it had a message only for the 1st century world others maintain that the book is a prophecy to be fulfilled totally in the future. The interpretation of Revelation has been a source of much controversy. Eschatology is the primary theology of the book. John describes the imagery in a cryptic language and symbolism, which are very hard to understand. The book is not just a futurology but also a redemptive, historical and theological psychology for the Church's thinking throughout the age before Christ's final coming. The book as a prophecy is a revelation from God that invites a response of trust and obedience though presented in the form of a letter from John to those Churches in the province of Asia. The apocalyptic writings are viewed as revealing heavenly secrets focusing on God's judgment of the wicked and his deliverance of the righteous. ![]() Revelation is unique as it combines three distinctive literary types: apocalypse, revelation and a letter.
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