Background for the Book of Revelation
Rev.1:19: “Write the things which you have seen, the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.”
“But in the abundance of Counselors there is wisdom.” Prov. 11:14
Sources: Revelation: A Self Study Guide, Irving L Jensen
John wrote Revelation about 96 AD, after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans
Doctrinal Instruction: if Revelation were the only book of the Bible, we would still have much light on the vital areas of truth, such as man, sin, angels, satan, judgment, salvation, church, worship, heaven, hell, and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Revelation encourages Christians to persevere under the stress of persecution.
General Rules for interpreting the Book of Revelation:
Stepping stone approach: go from the known to the unknown, from clear to unclear
1) Observation of understood ideas
2) Interpretation – what does it mean?
3) Application – how does it relate to us?
Clear to unclear:
1) go from doctrines and exhortations
2) to clear, broad movements prophesied
3) to less clear movements and prophesies
Laws
1) Law of plain sense – when it makes common sense, seek no other sense
2) Law of Balance – avoid extremes in interpretation – overly symbolic or none at all
3) Law of setting – let John’s time and place shed light on what he says – ie, don’t expect discussions of atomic radiation and fallout even if that is what he is trying to describe
4) Law of context – context is important in interpretation; also use parallel context from Daniel, Isaiah, Ezechial, Zechariah
5) Law of structure – do not force a structure – let the book reveal it’s own
6) Law of Prophetic perspective – John see’s a mountain range – the peaks are visible and most obvious; detail in the valley’s is less clear or not even seen;
Schools of interpretation
1) Symbolic View: Revelation is spiritual and not a literal prophecy
2) Present View: Revelation took place in first century
3) Continuous Historical: Revelation is a prophecy of the 2000 years of church history
4) Futurist View: Revelation is primarily a prophecy of the ‘End Times’
Futurist view is currently most accepted;
Millennial Views
1) Pre-millennialism – Christ comes to earth before the Millennium and reigns physically for 1000 years
2) Post-millennialism – Christ comes after 1,000 years of Blessedness [not highly likely]
3) A-millennialism – there is no 1,000 years; millennium refers to reign of Christ in heaven with his saints
Rapture Views
1) Pre-Tribulation Rapture – Christ comes in the air and takes the Christians to heaven before the last 7 years of the Great Tribulation – taught only in the US for the last 150 years
2) Mid-Tribulation Rapture – Christ comes in the air and takes the Christians to heaven before the last 3 ˝ years of the Great Tribulation – taught only in the US for the last 150 years
3) Post-Tribulation Rapture – Christ comes at the end of the 7 years to prevent the total annihilation of man and resurrects the dead Saints and then raptures the living Saints. They fight the final battle with him. Accepted by the rest of the world.
Notes: the word Rapture is not mentioned in the Book of Revelation.
The Olivet discourse is considered by many to be a general revelation of the timeline for the Book of Revelation; see Matt. 24; in Matt 24, Jesus is answering 3 questions: when will these things be [fall of Jerusalem], what is the sign of your coming and sign of the end of the age? Luke’s version distinguishes best between q 1 and q 2-3; all accounts reveal the same timing for rapture.
Why should we study the Book of Revelation?
1 John 3:2-3: Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Rev 1:3: 3God blesses the one who reads this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to it and obey what it says. For the time is near when these things will happen.
2Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Our God is a God of Patterns – look for the patterns in Revelation – he is trying to tell us something, to teach us something, with each pattern and picture. If there is something you don’t understand in Revelation, look for its predecessor pattern in the Old Testament, to get a better idea of what it is.
