Revelation
4 Views of on how to interpret the book:
Futurist - Most popular view with many coming from a sub-view know as
Dispensationalism. John Darby developed the Dispensational view in 1830 and it
was carried forward by C.I. Scofield.
- Most literal view of Revelation
- Views most of Revelation prophesies on finding fulfillment during a 7-year tribulation
- Interprets the 1000-year reign of Christ as a literal time prior to the final judgement.
- Antichrist / beast will rise to power and make a covenant(peace) with Israel including the plan to rebuild the temple. - In this view the rapture could occur before, during or after the 7-year tribulation - They see these prophecies as so severe that they must only describe the end of the world.
Revelation 16:20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
RC - The book of Revelation is a blueprint for a series of events that will precede the future return of Jesus. The events in the book have not yet taken place (from chapter 6 to the end)
Preterist - Almost all are "Partial Preterists" recognizing that most of Revelation concerns the events of the Jewish and Roman war of 3 1/2 years (A.D. 66 - A.D. 70) They note that the Greek word "Ge" can be translated "Earth or "Land" and more frequently be "Land" in Revelation. - Luke 21:20 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that the desolation is near. - Revelation 1:1a, 3b 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show to His bond- servants, the things which must soon take place. 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. Daniel 8:26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision. for it refers to many days in the future.
Revelation 22:10 He also said to me, "Don't seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near. - Some recognize the Preterist view being developed in the 16th century.
- Using Hebrew numerology, Nero Caesar(as seen as the beast) in Hebrew and Aramaic - adds up to
666. - Some see 1000 years as symbolic of Christ's church expanding His kingdom while others see
Christianity nearly taking over the earth to bring an extended time of peace. - Rapture of the church and Jesus' return occurs at the same time.
RC - Interprets the book of Revelation as being already fulfilled in the pastInterprets the events close at hand around the 1st century.Most chiefly the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 and with dispersion of the Jews to all the earth
Historicists - Developed and held by most of the reformers including Martin Luther and John Calvin. - Interprets Revelation as predicting the church's history from 1st Century to the end.
For example seeing Revelation 9(the locust horde) as dawning the rise of Islam and
the chapter continuing with the Muslim conquests (7th to 8th centuries A.D.) - They see the beast /antichrist as the position of the papacy allied with the state: Latin Vicarius Fillii Dei when reduced to the Roman numerology adds up to 666. - 1260 days of tribulation represents 1260 years of papal authority from the 6th through 19th
century.
- Seventh Day Adventists represent the majority to still hold the view and see that the mark of the
beast is when Christians are forced to worship on Sunday rather than Saturday. - Interpret a literal 1000 year reign before final judgement.
RC - The book of Revelation starts in the 1st century with the local churches that have been established from chapter 6 to the end of the book and we see a pattern of a description of events that take place at various period throughout history. You have a schematic approach to the whole of church history
Idealist - This views Revelation as using symbolism to reflect the experience of the church from the 1st
to the new creation
- Views majority of prophecies as being symbolic and not literal fulfillments.
- Some Idealists see revelation as representing wars and injustice in general while
others see it depicting cyclical aspects of church history such as the beast/antichrist being
represented first in Nero, again and again with Hitler being the recent example. - Interpret 1000 years as being symbolic as Christ expands His church while reigning in heaven or as
Christianity taking over most of the earth leading to the 1000 years of peace.
- They still recognize the literal letters to the 1st century churches, a literal return of Christ,
final judgement and new creation coming.
RC- The book is symbolic and talks about periods and conflicts and resolution that take place all the time. The book is not designed to to give us a chronology of specific events that will take place at specific times but rather to communicate the fundamental message of the triumph of the Gospel and Christ's kingdom in the time of conflict and resolution. -
the seven trumpets1 Hail and fire with blood Tribulations of the Roman empire
100-313
1/3 vegetation destroyed
2 Mountain into the sea Barbarians overcome Rome
313-476 1/3 ocean destroyed
3 Star fall from heaven The Church yeilds to compromise
313-538
1/3 water destroyed
4 Heavenly bodies darkened The Church plunges into apostasy
538-1798
1/3 luminaries darkened
5 Locusts from the bottomless pit For 150- years, the apostate Church loses it's power and influence
1798-1948
Demon's released
6 Angels of destruction The apostate Church is attacked by the spiritually wandering nations.
1948-end
1/3 humanity destroyed
7 Inauguration of the kingdom of God Seven bowls are poured out, the nations are destroyed by Jesu's return
Return of Jesus
Legal transfer announced
Seals / Trumpets1 Victorious Church / - No apostacy, no trumpet2 Great persecutions / 1&2 Earth in fire, sea in blood3 Spiritual famine / 3 Water's poisoned4 Generalized Apostasy / 4 Heavenly bodies darkened5 God's martyrs require justice / 5 The locusts attack the oppressor of God's people6 Distress of nations and wrath of the Lamb / 6&7 Spiritually wandering nations and wrath of God
7 Silence in Heaven / - No apostacy, no trumpet
Revelation
4 Views of on how to interpret the book:
Futurist
- Most popular view with many coming from a sub-view know as
Dispensationalism. John Darby developed the Dispensational view in 1830 and it
was carried forward by C.I. Scofield.
- Most literal view of Revelation
- Views most of Revelation prophesies on finding fulfillment during a 7-year tribulation
- Interprets the 1000-year reign of Christ as a literal time prior to the final judgement.
- Antichrist / beast will rise to power and make a covenant(peace) with Israel including
the plan to rebuild the temple.
- In this view the rapture could occur before, during or after the 7-year tribulation
- They see these prophecies as so severe that they must only describe the end of the world.
Revelation 16:20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
RC - The book of Revelation is a blueprint for a series of events that will precede the future return of Jesus. The events in the book have not yet taken place (from chapter 6 to the end)
Preterist
- Almost all are "Partial Preterists" recognizing that most of Revelation concerns the events of the
Jewish and Roman war of 3 1/2 years (A.D. 66 - A.D. 70)
They note that the Greek word "Ge" can be translated "Earth or "Land" and more frequently
be "Land" in Revelation.
- Luke 21:20 But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that the
desolation is near.
- Revelation 1:1a, 3b 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show to His bond- servants, the things which must soon take place. 3. Blessed is he who reads and those who
hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.
Daniel 8:26 "And the vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; Therefore
seal up the vision. for it refers to many days in the future.
Revelation 22:10 He also said to me, "Don't seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near.
- Some recognize the Preterist view being developed in the 16th century.
- Using Hebrew numerology, Nero Caesar(as seen as the beast) in Hebrew and Aramaic - adds up to
666.
- Some see 1000 years as symbolic of Christ's church expanding His kingdom while others see
Christianity nearly taking over the earth to bring an extended time of peace.
- Rapture of the church and Jesus' return occurs at the same time.
RC - Interprets the book of Revelation as being already fulfilled in the past
Interprets the events close at hand around the 1st century.
Most chiefly the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 and with dispersion of the Jews to all the earth
Historicists
- Developed and held by most of the reformers including Martin Luther and John Calvin.
- Interprets Revelation as predicting the church's history from 1st Century to the end.
For example seeing Revelation 9(the locust horde) as dawning the rise of Islam and
the chapter continuing with the Muslim conquests (7th to 8th centuries A.D.)
- They see the beast /antichrist as the position of the papacy allied with the state: Latin Vicarius
Fillii Dei when reduced to the Roman numerology adds up to 666.
- 1260 days of tribulation represents 1260 years of papal authority from the 6th through 19th
century.
- Seventh Day Adventists represent the majority to still hold the view and see that the mark of the
beast is when Christians are forced to worship on Sunday rather than Saturday.
- Interpret a literal 1000 year reign before final judgement.
RC - The book of Revelation starts in the 1st century with the local churches that have been established from chapter 6 to the end of the book and we see a pattern of a description of events that take place at various period throughout history. You have a schematic approach to the whole of church history
Idealist
- This views Revelation as using symbolism to reflect the experience of the church from the 1st
to the new creation
- Views majority of prophecies as being symbolic and not literal fulfillments.
- Some Idealists see revelation as representing wars and injustice in general while
others see it depicting cyclical aspects of church history such as the beast/antichrist being
represented first in Nero, again and again with Hitler being the recent example.
- Interpret 1000 years as being symbolic as Christ expands His church while reigning in heaven or as
Christianity taking over most of the earth leading to the 1000 years of peace.
- They still recognize the literal letters to the 1st century churches, a literal return of Christ,
final judgement and new creation coming.
RC- The book is symbolic and talks about periods and conflicts and resolution that take place all the time. The book is not designed to to give us a chronology of specific events that will take place at specific times but rather to communicate the fundamental message of the triumph of the Gospel and Christ's kingdom in the time of conflict and resolution.
-
the seven trumpets
1 Hail and fire with blood
Tribulations of the Roman empire
100-313
1/3 vegetation destroyed
2 Mountain into the sea
Barbarians overcome Rome
313-476
1/3 ocean destroyed
3 Star fall from heaven
The Church yeilds to compromise
313-538
1/3 water destroyed
4 Heavenly bodies darkened
The Church plunges into apostasy
538-1798
1/3 luminaries darkened
5 Locusts from the bottomless pit
For 150- years, the apostate Church loses it's power and influence
1798-1948
Demon's released
6 Angels of destruction
The apostate Church is attacked by the spiritually wandering nations.
1948-end
1/3 humanity destroyed
7 Inauguration of the kingdom of God
Seven bowls are poured out, the nations are destroyed by Jesu's return
Return of Jesus
Legal transfer announced
Seals / Trumpets
1 Victorious Church / - No apostacy, no trumpet
2 Great persecutions / 1&2 Earth in fire, sea in blood
3 Spiritual famine / 3 Water's poisoned
4 Generalized Apostasy / 4 Heavenly bodies darkened
5 God's martyrs require justice / 5 The locusts attack the oppressor of God's people
6 Distress of nations and wrath of the Lamb /
6&7 Spiritually wandering nations and wrath of God
7 Silence in Heaven / - No apostacy, no trumpet
