by Chuck Ness
To fully appreciate “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, one must read it in conjunction with passages from other books of the Bible. Specifically, but not exclusively, Scriptures found in Daniel, Zechariah, Ezekiel, and various verses found in the New Testament. I also believe having an understanding of world history, economics, and politics is a must to get a proper perspective of the end times. However, even with all these tools at ones disposal we find no shortage of opinions as to what these visions of John represents.
A quick search on Google shows that there are almost 100 million sites claiming to have insight that can help the reader understand this book, and that is just the English web sites. What and who to believe can be greatly influenced by each individual’s understanding of a select number of Scriptures and ones understanding of when this letter was written. Even among those who agree on the major points find that they disagree on many minor issues. To make it a bit simpler, there are four four distinct interpretations when it comes to eschatology, Preterist, Historicist, Spiritualist, and Futurist.
- There is the Preterist, or the Postmillennialist view which looks at the visions symbolically as the struggles of the Church against Rome, believing that most of John’s visions were fulfilled during Nero’s reign and after when in AD 70 Titus besieged Jerusalem and eventually destroyed the Temple.
- Next is the Historicist, or the Historical Premillennialists view that takes a historic look at the problems the Church has had with the world from the early church up until the time Christ returns.
- The Spiritualist, or the Amillenialists which looks at this letter as a type of allegory for every Christian’s walk in the world, as they struggle against evil forces bent on their destruction.
- Finally there is the Futurist, or more commonly referred to as the Dispensational Premillennialists who take more of a literal straightforward account of what is to come while attempting to predict just what, when, where, and who is all involved in John’s visions.
The words, eschatology and eschatological, are used in discussion of the branch of Christian theology that deals with, "last things". Or rather, with the state of individuals after death, and with the course of human history when the present order of things has been brought to a close. Depending upon your view, these events may include the Rapture, the Second Coming of Christ, the Tribulation, the Millennial Kingdom the Future Judgments and God's plans for eternity. The primary books of the Bible pertaining to end times prophecy are the books of Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, the Gospels and of course the book of Revelation.
What follows are a couple of charts that you will find interesting. They offer information as to what each of the four views of Eschatology is based upon. The charts may be too small to see, and if so you can just click on the image and they will open up into another window for a larger view.
Posts
2 comments:
May I suggest a slight modification of the historic premillennialism?
The tribulation starts with the persecution of the church. The anti-Christ begins his reign about half way through. After this the Day of the Lord begins with the Church being gathered to Christ at his return and God's Wrath beginning.
If the church is taken before the anti-Christ's appearance, they will not have a chance to be deceived.
Reading Revelation as 1-11 as first century to end times, 12-22 as a repeat with trumpets and bowls occurring during the same time.
The Preterist view (past fulfillment) is not synonymous with the Postmillennial view at all. Preterist believe that ALL prophecy was fulfilled at "the END" of the Jewish theocracy and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Until that time, the main persecutors of the church were the Jews.
In this view Christ's martyrs were vindicated, his earthly enemies (and spiritual enemies) were destroyed. The "New Heaven and New Earth" was established, the "New Jerusalem" came down "out of heaven" wherein Christians now live. It was "when" his New Kingdom, New Covenant, New Jerusalem were fully established. It will remain eternal.
The Jews were given 40 years to repent and accept the Christ. Similar to the Israelites suffering 40 years before entering their "Promised Land," Christians were persecuted and slain for 40 years before they entered the "New Promised Land." The "Old Covenant," the entire "Law of Moses," was fully destroyed along with the animal sacrifices, the genealogies, and the temple in AD 70. It was "when" Christ returned in judgment, in the clouds, as he had seen the father judge many times in the OT. For "when" it was to be, check Daniel 12:7. There are plenty of sources on the internet to explain it in more detail.
Post a Comment
Feel free to leave a comment, and it will be posted immediately. However, if your comment is offensive in anyway, it will be removed.
I welcome differing opinions, I do believe in free speech, just not vulgar cuss laden comments written for the only purpose of offending people in general.
Differing opinions is not what I refer to, go ahead and disagree, but in a polite way so we can have a logical respectful discussion.
By offensive, I mean by being vulgar, as in swearing, using God's name in vain, or derogatorily offensive in a way you would not talk to your own Grandmother, Mother, or daughter, and then the comment will be removed.
I may not respond to your comment promptly, and there is no way with blogger for me to respond directly to your comment,. So come back and look for me to respond in a new comment to you by the name you post your comment with.