A Whole New World

Foreword Not many years after my conversion I determined to master the book of Revelation! I thought to myself that the best way to comprehend this mysterious book was to remain unsullied by all the publications and bizarre ideas then in vogue. If I approached Revelation with a blank mind and read it through at several sittings, then its truths would begin to dawn. I would develop an understanding pristine and virgin pure. So, I read it repeatedly, thinking that repetition would lead me to enlightenment. But after my plan was completed, I found myself just as frustrated as before. My real need was twofold: A Christ-centered teacher and an interpretive tool to help excavate some of the gold ore from this mine of kingdom-truth. The tool did not have to be a multi-million dollar mining-apparatus —just an inexpensive pick-axe that would serve the purpose of picking up some placer gold, thank you. In this little volume, A Whole New World, independent scholar Mr. Greg Uttinger provides the tool necessary for wondering, intimidated or blank-minded Christians who think that the Revelation is limited to Greek scholars or those waiting until their octogenarian years before devoting themselves to its study. Although far more than a mere grid, Mr. Uttinger ’s book provides a framework by which we can read the entirety of the Revelation with profit. For example, an understanding of the events, metaphors and symbols of the Old Testament are key interpretive tools. A person untaught in the Old Testament and unaware of even a few important chapters in the New Testament (i.e., Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, etc.) will struggle mightily. However, by using the grid this book provides, the interpreter ’s understanding will be greatly enhanced. The reason is that the grid is derived from the book of Revelation itself and not from any outside interpretive model or prejudice. George Santayana once said that brevity is “almost a condition of being inspired. ” Brevity may have a stronger punch than a literary tome. Before we can have the last word, we must first hear the first word. This little book is that first word. This means it can be safely placed into the hands of any Christian, regardless of age or spiritual maturity. It gives each Christian a jump-start, significantly reducing the likelihood of a reading stall. The book of Revelation is indeed a revelation, a revelation for all of God ’s people. A Whole New World shows how this is true. —Jim West, Associate Professor, City Seminary, Sacramento, CaliforniaUttinger, Greg is the author of 'A Whole New World', published 2007 under ISBN 9780979673603 and ISBN 0979673607.