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“These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful” Revelation 17:14. The Book of Revelation. World Views of Revelation . Preterist view
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“These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful” Revelation 17:14 The Book of Revelation
World Views of Revelation • Preterist view • Events of Revelation were fulfilled in the 1st century. • Armageddon is God’s judgment on Jews • Nero is the “666 Beast”
Historical View • View Revelation as a prophecy taking place from the time of writing till the second coming of Christ. • Spans the fall of Rome to the rise of Europe and Arabian Empires. These alliances will seek to recreate the Roman Empire • Christ comes again and destroys European alliance
Futurist View • Events of Revelation to occur just before Christ comes again. • Foretell of a rapture of true Christians • A period of seven years of “Great Tribulation” • Christ will then return to the earth… reign for a thousand years on the earth (a physical kingdom) – “Premillennialism”
Eastern Orthodox View • Revelation is seen as a warning to be spiritually and morally ready for the end of times (whenever that may come). • Eastern Orthodox read from the book of Revelation only once per year (i.e., Apocalypse night or bright Saturday.. The eve of the resurrection)
Paschal Liturgical View • Held primarily by Catholic and Protestant theologians • Revelation, in form, is structured after creation, fall, judgment and redemption. • Revelation provides insight into the early Eucharist, saying that it is the new Temple worship in the New Heaven and Earth… a foretaste of the heavenly banquet.
Esoteric View • View the book as delivering both a series of warnings for humanity and a detailed account of internal, spiritual processes of the individual soul. • Revelation is symbolic of the body and that each emblem, emotion and condition relate to self. For example, the 24 elders of Rev. 4:4 relate to the 12 pairs (24) of cranial nerves…”
Radical Discipleship View • Revelation is best understood as a handbook for radical discipleship; i.e., how to remain faithful to the spirit and teachings of Jesus and avoid simply assimilating to surrounding society. • The primary agenda of the book is to expose the worldly powers as impostors which seek to oppose the ways of God.
Aesthetic and Literary View • Revelation is a work of art and imagination • The imagery is a symbolic depiction of victory of good over evil.
Dismissal View • Robert G. Ingersoll – “The insanest of all books” • Thomas Jefferson omitted revelation out of his “Jefferson Bible” – ravings of a maniac no more worthy of explanation than the incoherencies of our nightly dreams. • Does not belong in the cannon of inspired scriptures.
Our Approach to a study of Revelation • Revelation (Deut. 29:29; Jn. 8:32; I Cor. 14:33) • A respect for God’s authority • Approach no different than any other book in Bible • Takes time and extreme effort to understand • Why does God reveal His mind in veiled language? • Those who truly desire truth will seek it out (see Matt. 13:11) • God reveals His message in diverse manners (Heb. 1:1)
Date of Revelation • Early date – Days of Nero AD 64-68 • Late Date – Days of Domitian AD 91-96 • Proclaimed Christianity was a crime against Rome • Persecuted Christians in and out of Rome • Christians were exiled, put to death, tortured into confessions of Domitian’s deity, and had their property confiscated. • Internal evidences: Paul’s Ephesian Letter (all is well with Eph. Yet not so in Rev. 2:4) • All seems well with church in Col. Yet not so in Rev. 3:14ff.
Author of Revelation • John: see 1:4, 9-12 etc.
Theme of Revelation • Revelation 17:14 “These shall war against the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they also shall overcome that are with him, called and chosen and faithful” • Note that the word “overcome” (Greek nikao) is found 17 times in the book of Revelation. • The Christian can be victorious over the most formidable difficulties faced in life (Rev. 12:11; 21:7).
End Part I • Next week: Read Revelation Chapter one and be prepared to study.