THREE VIEWS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION
Preterist, Historical, and Futurist
-A. Ralph Johnson
The Book of Revelation has
always sparked a sense of fantasy. The
lure of the mysterious is exhilarating.
Much time has been spent trying to decode its symbols. Much confusion has been the norm.
Revelation 1:3 pronounces a blessing on
those who read, hear and obey it.
However, it is obvious that it was never intended to be understood by
everyone. In view of that, it is
equally obvious that differences over which view is correct must not be made
tests of acceptance between Christians.
The book is there for us to mine its benefits, not to bash each other
over differences as to its meaning.
While we must be cautious, we do have the liberty to seek to understand
and to urge others to consider what we discover.
The primary message is
clear. Christ will triumph. He will
come again. He will reward his people
for faithfulness to him. He will punish
Satan and those who follow him. There will be a new heaven and a new earth with
no crying, pain or death. If we are
faithful unto death we will receive a crown of life.
And the Spirit and the bride
say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take
the water of life freely.
VIEWS OF THE BOOK
There are many views of
Revelation. Endless numbers of books
have been written from different perspectives.
We are going to consider three major conservative views which themselves
have many sub-categories.
Preterist –According to this view,
most or all of Revelation was fulfilled in the first century of the church,
commonly limited to events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem.
Futurist --Most of the fulfillment
of the book is still future. This is
the popular view among the denominational world today. It is highly literalistic and predominantly
pre-millennial.
Historicist --That the book is a panorama of the great events spread
throughout history, relative to God’s people.
This view is mostly a-millennial or post-millennial but is also held by
some historical pre-millennialists.
The object of this
presentation is to compare these three views and the basis of their claims and
the Scriptures.
Those contending for the
early date place it before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., in the
reign of the emperor Nero who died in 68 A.D.
Clement, Bishop of
Alexandria, Egypt, wrote that John went from the island of Patmos back to
Ephesus “after the tyrant’s death.” [1]
Clement does not name the “tyrant.” Those who accept the early date believe he was Nero. Because Clement’s description of the events of John’s ministry after leaving Patmos
seem unlikely for a man who would then be over 90 years old, Preterists
consider the late date unlikely. The
time factor especially centers on a young man who John entrusts to a bishop’s
care who afterwards renounced his faith and joined a band of outlaws. After some time, John returned on business
and sought out the man and brought him back to Christ. It is claimed that there
would not have been time for all of this to take place if John wrote around 95
AD.
A footnote in the Nicene
& Ante-Nicene Fathers by the translator, Dr. Arthur McGiffert, suggests
this may not be authentic. Such stories
commonly grow up around important people.
In any case, we do not know the strength of John at this time.
Some outstanding
commentators holding the early view: Robert Young (who wrote Young’s
Concordance), Wescott and Hort, J.B.Lightfoot, Sir Isaac Newton and Moses
Stuart.
Those who favor the
late date maintain that John wrote about 95 A.D..
IRENAEUS, Bishop of Lyons, France [120-202 A.D.] who was a disciple of Polycarp, a disciple
of the Apostle John.
“We will not however, incur the risk of
pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary
that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have
been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For that was seen no very long time since,
but almost in our day, toward the end
of Domitian’s reign.”[2]
This
is also recorded by Eusebius around 325 A.D., in his Church History, Book 3,
Chap. 18, “The Apostle John and the Apocalypse.” [3]
EUSEBIUS [260-340 A.D.] : Book 3, Chapter 23
NARRATIVE
CONCERNING JOHN THE APOSTLE.
AT
that time the apostle and evangelist John, the one whom Jesus loved, was still
living in Asia, and governing the churches of that region, having returned after the death of Domitian from
his exile on the island. And that he was still alive at that time may be established
by the testimony of two witnesses. They should be trustworthy who have
maintained the orthodoxy of the Church; and such indeed were Irenaeus and Clement of Alexandria. The former
in the second book of his work Against Heresies, writes as follows: “And all
the elders that associated with John the disciple of the Lord in Asia bear
witness that John delivered it to them. For he remained among them until the
time of Trajan.” And in the third book of the same work he attests the same
thing in the following words: “But the church in Ephesus also, which was
founded by Paul, and where John remained until the time of Trajan, is a
faithful witness of the apostolic tradition.” Clement likewise in his book entitled What Rich Man can be
saved? indicates the time, and subjoins a narrative which is most attractive to
those that enjoy hearing what is beautiful and profitable. Take and read the
account which runs as follows: “Listen to a tale, which is not a mere tale, but
a narrative concerning John the apostle, which has been handed down and
treasured up in memory. For when,
after the tyrant’s death, he returned from the isle of Patmos to Ephesus,
he went away upon their invitation to the neighboring territories of the
Gentiles, to appoint bishops in some places, in other places to set in order
whole churches…”[4]
VICTORINUS, [300 A.D.] bishop of Petau,
Commentary on Revelation chapter 17:10. “And there are seven kings: five have
fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he is come, he will
be for a short time.” The time must be understood in which the written
Apocalypse was published, since then reigned Caesar Domitian; but before
him had been Titus his brother, and Vespasian, Otho, Vitellius, and Galba.
These are the five who have fallen. One remains, under whom the Apocalypse
was written — Domitian, to wit. “The other has not yet come,” speaks
of Nerva; “and when he is come, he will be for a short time,” for he did not
complete the period of two years. [5]
JEROME, [400 A.D.]
John…saw in the island
of Patmos, to which he had been banished by the Emperor Domitian
as a martyr for the Lord, an Apocalypse containing the boundless mysteries of
the future.[6]
Outstanding commentators
holding the late view: Albert Barnes, W. Hendricksen. and R. C. H. Lenski.
APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING
Why are there so many
views? The reasons vary but much of it
is due to the approaches taken. Often
the interpreter seeks to make it fit some pre-conceived concept or theological
perspective. For example, some
commentators interpret the book as the early belief that Jesus would come in
their generation.
Another popular method is to
look for similarities and hastily conclude identity. Accordingly, an “eagle”
(Dan. 7:4; Rev. 12:14) may be viewed as the United States, a “lion” (Dan. 7:4; Rev. 13:2) as England,
a “bear” (Dan. 7:5; Rev. 13:2) as
Russia, and a “dragon” (Rev. 12:9;
20:2) as China. To the superficial
observer, since in our day it is popular to use these symbols for those
nations, this may sound satisfactory but it is totally misleading. Similarity is not necessarily identity. We must discover what God intended.
Our approach rests on an old
principle for traveling in the wilderness.
Take careful stock of known points of reference and use them to
keep our bearings while exploring the unknown.
Discover what God intended through what He has already revealed. Watch carefully and listen cautiously to the
clues God has provided and use those points of reference to provide perspective
to keep from straying too far from the true meaning.
In opening the book of
Revelation it would be best to first prayerfully survey the book of Daniel,
upon which much of the imagery is based.
This should be first studied for content before trying to decide on the
meaning. Things that have been
interpreted either in these books or elsewhere in the Bible should be noted.
Study should begin by
familiarizing one’s self with the Book of Revelation, noting the points that
God reveals without fixing too quickly on any interpretation. Following this, all of the views should be
compared to see how they fit what the scriptures reveal. Unfortunately, in the limited space here it
is impossible to adequately lay such a foundation. We can only present a general summary and focus on some
outstanding points. We ask that the
reader consider what is here present with fairness and caution.
I.
THE HISTORICIST VIEW
A. INTRODUCTION (Chapter 1)
Revelation 1:1 The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, (even) the things which must shortly come
to pass: and he sent and signified (it) by his angel unto his servant John;
2 who bare witness of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ,
(even) of all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he that reads, and they
that hear the words of the prophecy,
and keep the things that are
written therein: for the time is at hand.
Note: it was going to come to pass “shortly.” It is obvious that the statements in chapters 19-22 about the
resurrection, judgment, and new heaven and earth, must be still future. Since some things clearly are not yet
fulfilled, “shortly” must be as God views time (as in 2Pet. 3:8-9), or that it
would soon begin (Luke 21:28) to be fulfilled.
Jesus is then identified as
the source and John as the writer, followed by a symbolic vision of Jesus,
(compare Dan. 10:4-8) concluding with the commission of John to...
1:19 Write
therefore the things which you saw, and the things which are, and
the things which shall come to pass hereafter.
Note these words carefully. They indicate what John was to write--past,
present, and future.
The things he had seen may
refer to his experiences with Christ.
John wrote the gospel of the life of Jesus and three smaller epistles.
1 John, Chapter 1
1 That which was from the beginning, that
which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which
we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life 2 (and the life was manifested, and we have
seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal (life), which was with the Father, and was
manifested unto us); 3 that which we
have seen and heard declare we unto
you also, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: 4
and these things we write, that our joy may be made full.
If these books were written
before Revelation then it may have reference to the vision of Jesus among the
candlesticks (1:12).
B. MESSAGES
TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA (chap. 2-3)
“THE THINGS WHICH ARE”
Chapters 2 and 3 are
included in “the things which are.” These were actual churches in Asia that
existed in the time of John. The
content deals with existing situations.
People are named by name. Local
situations are identified. All are told
to listen and urged to be overcomers.
All except Smyrna and Philadelphia are warned to repent.
In these seven churches,
futurists see seven periods of the church. However, nothing in the chapters
indicates this.
In reply to the problem that
chapters two and three obviously contain things that existed at the time John
wrote, it is claimed that this is an instance of “double fulfillment.” While they must admit it speaks to existing
churches, they contend that there is a secondary “hidden” message concerning
seven church ages.
However appealing the theory
may sound, the first few verses of chapter four indicate otherwise. The “things which must be hereafter” are not shown until after John ascends to
heaven and the one worthy to open the books is determined. Rev 4:1 (cf. 1:19) clearly distinguished
this as the future from “the things which
are” about which John wrote in chapter 3.
C. PANORAMA OF THE FUTURE FROM
THE TIME OF JOHN TO THE JUDGMENT (4:1—chapter 11)
“THE THINGS WHICH SHALL COME TO PASS HEREAFTER”
INTRODUCTION: Choosing
the one who is worthy to open the future
Revelation 4:1 After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the
first voice that I heard, (a voice) as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying,
Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter.
Instead of recognizing God’s
beginning point for revealing the future, many futurist commentators try to
place us in “the Laodicean period of the church,” and make the words, “come up hither,” to be the rapture of
the church. Although not one word is
said about it in the passage, they see the “Grand Fly-by” taking place at this
point. According to this view, Jesus
catches up the faithful Christians to spend the next seven years in heaven at
the marriage supper of the lamb, while those who have not been faithful learn
to mend their ways by suffering through the Great Tribulation. It is a marvel that so many can see so much
in so little.
The Greek in the two passages compared:
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Rev. 1:19 |
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Greek |
ha |
mellei |
genesthai |
meta |
tauta |
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English |
things which |
shall |
come to pass |
after |
this |
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Strongs # |
3739 |
3195 |
1096 |
3326 |
5023 |
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Rev. 4:1 |
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Greek |
ha |
dei |
genesthai |
meta |
tauta |
|
English |
things which |
must |
come to pass |
after |
this |
|
Strongs # |
3739 |
1163 |
1096 |
3326 |
5023 |
The Bible in Basic English
translates Rev 4:1, “After these things I
saw a door open in heaven, and the first voice came to my ears, like the sound
of a horn, saying, Come up here, and I will make clear to you the things
which are to come.”
Chapters 4 & 5. Who shall open seals of the future?
Chapter 4 is a throne scene with four
living creatures (4:6-9 cf. Ezek 1:4-11) and twenty-four elders worshipping
God.
Chapter 5 is a continuation of the
events of chapter 4 and introduces a book sealed with seven seals. The question is raised, “Who is worthy to
open the book?” Only the Lamb of God is found worthy. It is obvious that the
book is the future, which Jesus will open one sealed period at a time.
1.
FALL OF PAGAN ROME. (chapter
6-7)
(From the time of John to
Constantine)
Chapter 6 speaks of four horses, souls
under the altar and the fall of heavenly bodies. These fit the events within
the Roman Empire from the time of John to Constantine.
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and
I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come
and see. 2 And
I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there
was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. (cf. Zec 1:8; 6:3, 6)
A white horse suggests victory
and triumph. This was the way Roman
victories were celebrated. When John
wrote, Rome was at its greatest expanse.
This triumphant period is appropriately symbolized by a man riding a
white horse.
The rider carries a bow--the
sign of Crete, the Emperor Nerva’s (96-98) home country.
Gibbons the historian, in
his great work, The Rise And Fall Of The Roman Empire, says of that time:
“If a man were called to fix
the period of the history of the world during which the condition of the human
race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that
which elapsed from the death of Domitian [96 A.D.]
to the accession of Commodus.”
(Vol. I, p. 47.)
Some have suggested that,
because “The Word Of God” in chapter
19 rides a white horse, this must be Jesus.
However, Jesus did not come immediately following the time of John, and
other than both having a white horse, there are no similarities. Every mention of a white horse is not
necessarily speaking of Jesus. The
picture better fits the triumphant period of Rome followed by the progressive
decline and fall of pagan rule down to the time of Constantine.
Rev. 6:3 And
when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying,
Come. 4 And another horse came forth, a
red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the
earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a
great sword. (cf.
Zec 1:8; 6:2)
Beginning with Commodus (180
A.D.) was a period of terrible civil upheaval and bloodshed which continued for
a hundred years, in which over thirty out of thirty-four emperors died
violently.
Rev. 6:5 And
when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying,
Come. And I saw, and behold, a black
horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. 6 And I heard as it were a voice in the
midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling,
and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou
not. (cf.
Zec 6:2, 6)
Caracalla (211-218) and Geta shared
the throne after the death of their father, Septimus. Caracalla treacherously murdered his brother in his mother's arms
and then went mad. He killed over 20,000
people who knew his brother or knew of what he had done. He drained the national treasury with his
outlandish living and then extended and doubled the taxes. He brutally extracted assessments against
the producers until the effect was to depress the output of grain, oil, and
wine. Prices soared and scarcity
prevailed.
Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal,
I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he
that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there
was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with
sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Decius
(249-251). His second year was jolted by a disastrous plague which ravaged the
world for almost twenty years. Famine
swept the empire and the barbarians on the borders pressed in from all
sides. There is even an account of the
Christians being accused of responsibility for the great increase of attacks
upon the population by animals. Over
5,000 people a day were reputed to have died in the city of Rome for a
while. It is estimated that over one-fourth
of the population of the empire was swept away in these years.
9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls
of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which
they held: 10 and they cried with a
great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge
and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was
said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their
fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they
were, should have fulfilled their course.
Diocletian (284-305 A.D.) radically changed the rule of the empire, dividing it
between four rulers. During his reign
he launched the tenth and bitterest persecution against Christians.
Sixth Seal: Stars falling
from heaven.
Rev. 6:12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and
there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
and the whole moon became as blood; 13 and the stars of the heaven fell unto
the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great
wind. 14 And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every
mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief
captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid
themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they say to
the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him
that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 for the great
day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?
This appropriately pictures
the collapse of pagan imperial domination, accomplished through the victory of
Constantine. The Pagans saw it as the
end of the world.
Chapter 7. Sealing the servants of God
in their foreheads. (cf. Ezek. 9:4)
The four destroying winds
are held back while two groups are sealed:
144,000 out of the twelve tribes of Israel, and an uncountable multitude
out of all nations. This fits the period of expansion of Christianity following
the triumph of Constantine and the
legalization of Christianity.
2.
FALL OF THE WESTERN CHRISTIANIZED ROMAN EMPIRE
Chapter 8 opens the seventh seal, in which seven trumpets are blown. The first
four trumpets announce the fall of the old Western Roman Empire. These correspond to the four great invasions
of Rome by the barbarians.
The first angel sounds:
The Visgoths
under Alaric sacked Rome by land from the north (408-410 AD).
The second angel sounds:
The Vandals,
led by Geneseric sacked Rome from across the Mediterranean Sea in North
Africa, the area of Carthage (428-468 AD).
The third angel sounds:
The Huns,
led by Attila, “the scourge of God” crossed the Danube River and sacked Rome
(433-453 AD).
The fourth angel sounds:
Odoacer, king
of the Western Goths, conquered Rome in 476 AD and brought the 1200 year reign of the
Western Empire to an end.
Rev. 8:13 the angel cries “Woe, Woe,
Woe,” signifying the nature of the three trumpets yet to
sound. The Western Empire has
fallen. Attention turns to the
East. Indeed, the events that follow are
terrible woes bringing the end to the mighty Roman Empire.
3.
FALL OF THE CHRISTIANIZED EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
Chapter 9
The fifth angel sounds:
A star falls from heaven
opening the abyss from which a locust plague swarms across the Earth. They sting like scorpions and torment
men. Nothing could better describe the
advent of Mohammed, around 622 AD and the Arabian Saracen hordes that within a
hundred years swarmed over Arabia, Persia to India, and Asia, North Africa and
Spain, darkening the ruling powers of the world. They were only turned back after crossing the Pyrenees Mountains
into France, by the victory of Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours, and held
from crossing the Hellespont into Greece by the Byzantine Emperors at
Constantinople.
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SYMBOLS: |
INTERPRETATION: |
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9:1. Star fallen to earth uses key to open
bottomless pit. |