At the End of Times: Prophecy and Revelation: A Spiritual Paradigm

Second, the preterist position rests on a pre-AD 70 date of writing. However, most New Testament scholars date the writing of the book to AD If John had written Revelation after AD 70, the book could not have been a prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem. This presents a significant argument against the preterist position. Preterists point to several lines of evidence for a pre-AD 70 date of writing. First, John does not mention the fall of the Jerusalem Temple. If he had been writing two decades after the event, it seems strange that he never mentioned this catastrophic event.

Third, in Revelation The preterist view, particularly the partial preterist view, is a prominent position held by such notable scholars as R. Sproul, Hank Hanegraaff, Kenneth Gentry, and the late David Chilton who later converted to full preterism after the publishing of his books. The third view is called the historicist approach. The symbols in the apocalypse correspond to events in the history of Western Europe, including various popes, the Protestant Reformation, the French Revolution, and rulers such as Charlemagne.

Most interpreters place the events of their day in the later chapters of Revelation. Many adherents of this position view chapters as seven periods in church history. The breaking of the seals in chapters symbolizes the fall of the Roman Empire. Among Protestant historicists of the Reformation, the antichrist in Revelation was believed to be the papacy. Chapters in Revelation represent the true church in its struggle against Roman Catholicism.

There are several criticisms of this approach. First, this approach allows for a wide variety of interpretations. Adherents have a tendency to interpret the text through the context of their period. Thus, many saw the climax of the book happening in their generation. John Walvoord points out the lack of agreement among historicists. Second, this view focuses mostly on the events of the church in Western Europe and says very little about the church in the East. Finally, this view would have little significance for the church of the first century whom John was addressing.

It is unlikely they would have been able to interpret Revelation as the historical approach suggests. Spurgeon, and Matthew Henry. This view rose to popularity during the Protestant Reformation because of its identification of the pope and the papacy with the beasts of Revelation However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, it has declined in popularity and influence. The fourth view is the futurist view. This view teaches that the events of the Olivet Discourse and Revelation chapters will occur in the future.

Futurist divide the book of Revelation into three sections as indicated in 1: Futurists apply a literal approach to interpreting Revelation. Chapters refer to a period known as the seven-year tribulation Dan. Chapter 13 describes a literal future world empire headed by a political and religious leader represented by the two beasts. Chapter 17 pictures a harlot who represents the church in apostasy.

Chapters are events that follow the millennium: Futurists argue that a consistently literal or plain interpretation is to be applied in understanding the book of Revelation. Literal interpretation of the Bible means to explain the original sense, or meaning, of the Bible according to the normal customary usage of its language. This means applying the rules of grammar, staying consistent with the historical framework, and the context of the writing. Literal interpretation does not discount figurative or symbolic language. Futurists teach that prophecies using symbolic language are also to be normally interpreted according to the laws of language.

The literalist so called is not one who denies that figurative language, that symbols, are used in prophecy, nor does he deny that great spiritual truths are set forth therein; his position is, simply, that the prophecies are to be normally interpreted i. Symbols, figures of speech and types are all interpreted plainly in this method, and they are in no way contrary to literal interpretation.

After all, the very existence of any meaning for a figure of speech depends on the reality of the literal meaning of the terms involved. Figures often make the meaning plainer, but it is the literal, normal, or plain meaning that they convey to the reader. Futurists acknowledge the use of figures and symbols. When figurative language is used, one must look at the context to find the meaning.

However, figurative language does not justify allegorical interpretation. Futurists contend that the literal interpretation of Revelation finds its roots in the ancient church fathers. Futurists hold that the church fathers taught a literal interpretation of Revelation until Origen AD introduced allegorical interpretation. This then became the popular form of interpretation when taught by Augustine AD The futurist view is widely popular among evangelical Christians today.

One of the most popular versions on futurist teaching is dispensational theology, promoted by schools such as Dallas Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. Tim LaHaye made this theology popular in the culture with his end times series of novels. Unfortunately, there have been and continue to be popular preachers who mistakenly apply the futurist approach to connect current events to the symbols in Revelation.

Although their writings have been popular, they do not represent a Biblical futurist view. Critics of this view argue that the futurist view renders the book irrelevant to the original readers of the first century. Another criticism is that Revelation is apocalyptic literature and thus meant to be interpreted allegorically or symbolically rather than literally. One of the key elements in the debate, particularly between preterists and futurists, is the date of writing for Revelation.

Preterists argue for a pre-AD 70 date while futurists hold to a date of AD There are several reasons for the later date. Irenaeus was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John. He thus had a connection with a contemporary of the Apostle John. Second, the conditions of the seven churches in Revelation appear to describe a second-generation church setting rather than that of a first-generation.

For example, the Church of Ephesus Rev. However, Paul makes no mention of either the loss of first love or the threat of the Nicolaitans. However, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul commends the church three times 2: It would likely take more than three years for the church to decline to the point that chapter 3 would state there to be no commendable aspect about it. Also, an earthquake in AD 61 left the city in ruins for many years.

Thus, it is unlikely that in a ruined condition John would describe them as rich. He also wrote to a Gentile audience in Asia Minor which was far removed from Jerusalem. Preterists also point to the fact that the Temple is mentioned in chapter eleven.

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Futurists respond that although John mentions a temple in Revelation What did Jesus mean in Matthew In other words, the generation living amid the time of the events He predicted will not pass away until all is fulfilled. The book of Revelation is a fascinating book, and the debate regarding its interpretation will continue. Despite our various views, there are some common threads upon which Christians agree. Except for full preterism and some forms of idealism, all believe in the physical second coming of Christ.

All views believe in the resurrection from the dead. All believe there will be a future judgment. All believe in an eternal state in which believers will be with God, and unbelievers will be separated from Him.

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All agree upon the importance of the study of prophecy and its edification for the body of Christ. Unfortunately, the debate among Christians has often been harsh and hostile. It is my hope that the debate would continue in a cordial, respectful manner which will challenge every believer to accurately study and interpret the Word. Thomas Nelson, , The Book of Revelation Grand Rapids: William Eerdmans Publishing Company, , Hodder and Stoughton, , An Exegetical Commentary Chicago: Moody Press, , Tim LaHaye and Thomas Ice, ed. Harvest House Publishers, , Evidence for the AD 95 date of writing will be presented in the futurist section.

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Lange, Commentary of the Holy Scriptures: Moody Publishers, , Charles Ryrie, Dispensationalism Chicago: Patrick Zukeran , former Probe staffer, is the founder and Executive Director of Evidence and Answers, a research and teaching ministry specializing in Christian apologetics, the defense of the Christian faith.

He is the host of the radio show Evidence and Answers www. Is There Enough Evidence to Believe? Pat is a popular conference speaker and he also serves as an adjunct faculty for several colleges and institutes worldwide. He earned a B. Pat lives in Honolulu, Hawaii and can be reached at pat evidenceandanswers. Probe Ministries is a non-profit ministry whose mission is to assist the church in renewing the minds of believers with a Christian worldview and to equip the church to engage the world for Christ.

It seems your browser is out of date. Please update your browser to view this webpage properly. Click here for more information. The Gift of Prophecy in "the Time of the End". Biblical prophecies show us that the spiritual gift of prophecy was to have a resurgence in our recent history. God's Guiding Gift Downloadable kB. Answers to Objections by Francis D. This article is part of a series. We recommend that you first read: Help us reduce the maintenance cost of our online services. Because your computer is running an older version of internet browser, it no longer meets the features of modern websites.

You can help Amazing Discoveries reduce costs by upgrading or replacing your internet browser with one of the options below. We thank you in advance for partnering with us in this small but significant way. The Recent History of the Gift of Prophecy After the death of the apostles, prophets enjoyed respect in many circles until AD, but the decline of spirituality in the Church and the resulting apostasy led to a diminishing of both the presence and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Former and Latter Rain The prophet Joel predicted a special outpouring of the prophetic gift just prior to Christ's return: A group of Shakers.

Veith , an international speaker who has studied Biblical issues in-depth in his quest for truth. His popular series Genesis Conflict brings the debate between Creation and evolution to a new climax as he dissects the arguments with a scientific eye. His highly-acclaimed series Total Onslaught sheds light on the state of the world today as we move to a one-world government and an anticipated apocalypse.

A Basis for Conflict. Is there evidence for Creation science? How does it compare to evolution? The following articles give insight in to these questions and more. Understanding the Creation Week Geocentricity: Can we understand the age of the earth by the rocks? What theory does the evidence support? Soft Rock Evidence for Rapid Washout. What does the fossil record show us? Is it all random or a defined science that we can understand? Where does evolution fit? Uncover mysteries in the history of the Earth.

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