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Revelation

Revelation. Historical Background. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION. THE AUTHOR Four times in Revelation the write calls himself John (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8) Ways John refers to himself Servant of Jesus Christ (1:1)

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Revelation

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  1. Revelation Historical Background

  2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE AUTHOR • Four times in Revelation the write calls himself John (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8) • Ways John refers to himself • Servant of Jesus Christ (1:1) • Brother of the Christians in Asia Minor and a fellow sufferer in the tribulation (1:9) • Exiled to the isle of Patmos (1:9) • Saw and heard the things record in this book (22:8)

  3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE AUTHOR • Church history indicate it was John the apostle • Justin Martyr (A. D. 110-165) – John apostle of Christ, prophesied by a revelation and refers to the thousand years

  4. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE AUTHOR • Church history indicate it was John the apostle • Clement of Alexandria (A. D. 153-217) – apostle John returned from Isle of Patmos after the tyrants death

  5. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE AUTHOR • Church history indicate it was John the apostle • “Tell me, blessed John, apostle and disciple of the Lord, what didst thou see and hear concerning Babylon?” Then quotes chapter 17 & 18

  6. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION Apostle John • Jewish Christian from Galilee • Son of Zebedee with James (Mt. 4:21) • His mother Mary’s sister, mother of Jesus (Mt. 27:56; Mk. 15:40; Lk. 23:49; Jn. 19:25) • Fisherman in partnership with Peter and Andrew (Lk. 5:7, 10; Mk. 1:16-20) • Successful businessman with hired servants (Mk. 1:20) • Tradition indicates supplied fish to High Priests family • Disciple of John the Baptist • One of the inner circle of Christ’s apostles • Apostle who Jesus love • Jesus put His mother under his care

  7. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Strong external evidence • Domitian wanted to restore Roman religion and encourage the worship of himself. • Early church fathers thought Domitian was the emperor during this time.

  8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Strong external evidence • Irenaeus (A. D. 180) – Student of Polycarp who was a student of John. “was not very long ago, almost in our own generation, at the close of the reign of Domitian.”

  9. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Strong external evidence • Clement of Alexandria (A. D. 220) – notes that John left Patmos after the “tyrant’s death” but does not name him. According to Eusebius (Father of church history) tradition held this to be Domitian.

  10. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Strong external evidence • Victorinus (A. D. 303) – martyred under Diocletian stated, “When John said these things he was in the isle of Patmos, condemned to the labor of the mines by Caesar Domitian. There, therefore, he saw the Apocalypse.” Later he notes about the seven heads of the beast in Rev. 17:10 that, “One remains, under whom the Apocalypse was written – Domitian, to wit.”

  11. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Strong external evidence • Jerome (A. D. 340-420) – Domitian raised up a second persecution and John was banished to the isle of Patmos and wrote the Apocalypse.

  12. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Internal evidence • Spiritual conditions of the seven churches are more in harmony with a late date. • Different from there situation in the last mention of them in the letters and Acts.

  13. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Internal evidence • Ephesus was planted about A. D. 61 if one takes an early date a lot changed in just seven years. • Laodicea is reported to have great wealth (Rev. 3:17) but it was almost totally destroyed in A. D. 60 by an earthquake.

  14. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION THE DATE • Internal evidence • It is unlikely to have been able to rebuild and become rich in a short time for the period of Nero. • Conclusion – External and internal evidence fit best for the Book of Revelation to have been written during the reign of Emperor Domitian

  15. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION Place of writing • Isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:9-11) • In the spirit • Told to write and send to the seven churches of Asia • Recipients • To seven churches of Asia • Christians suffering persecution

  16. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION • Recipients • To seven churches of Asia • Christians suffering persecution

  17. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION PURPOSE OF THE BOOK Comfort and encourage faithfulness of Christians and the church during its persecution by the Roman Empire.

  18. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION Messages of comfort and encouragement: • Prepare them for what will shortly take place (1:1) • Encourage faithfulness (1:3; 21:7-8) • Christ is sovereign over all kings (1:5) • Ultimate victory of the saints (20:9-10; 1:5b)

  19. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION FOUR PRIMARY DOCTRINES IN REVELATION • Doctrine of the sovereignty of God • Doctrine of salvation through Christ • Doctrine of a future blessed life • Doctrine of the Christ return and ultimate triumph

  20. REASONS FOR ROMES ANTAGONISM TOWARD CHRISTIANITY • Christianity was an illegal religion. • Christianity aspired to universality. • Christianity was an exclusive religion. • Christians were accused of all manner of evil. • Christians refused to go to war.

  21. REASONS FOR ROMES ANTAGONISM TOWARD CHRISTIANITY • Christians were recruited chiefly from the poor and the outcast of society. • Christians shared with the Jews the contempt that the Romans held for them. • Christians were viewed as wild fanatics because of their enthusiasm.

  22. REASONS FOR ROMES ANTAGONISM TOWARD CHRISTIANITY • Christianity came into conflict with the temporal interest of many Romans. • Christians refused to worship the emperor.

  23. ROMAN RELIGIOUS CONTEXT • Religion was blended from all over the world to allow for various deities to be worshipped in the support of Rome. • By 1st century A.D. emperor worship • Rome saw religious loyalty related to political loyalty

  24. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION ROMAN EMPIRE Founding of Rome • Rome had developed from a group of tribes and city-states in northern and central Italy (Etruscans, Sabine, Latins, Umbrians, Samnites, among others) to a world power.

  25. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION ROMAN EMPIRE Century before Christ • Collapse of the old city-state form of government & imperial rule took its place after Civil war with Julius Caesar becoming the first ruler but did not take the title of king. • Julius Caesar • Octavian or Augustus Caesar (31 B. C. to A. D. 14) • Birth of Christ in 4 B.C.

  26. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO REVELATION Emperors of the First Christian Century • Tiberius Caesar (A. D. 14-37) • Caligula (A. D. 37 – 41) • Claudius (A. D. 41-54) • Nero (A. D. 54–68) • Galba (A. D. 68, six months) • Otho (A. D. 68, 95 days) • Vitellius (A. D. 68-69, less than year • Vespasian (A. D. 69-79) • Titus (A. D. 79-81) • Domitian (A. D. 81-96) • Nerva (A. D. 96-98) • Trajan (A. D. 98-117)

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