Introduction to Revelation #2

April 25, 2020

It’s Saturday! Tomorrow is the “Lord’s Day.” We call it that because we continually remember the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ while anticipating His return.

I promised to unpack a complicated web of differing views of how to interpret the book of Revelation. Let’s start with the three “millennial” (referring to the 1000 time period in Revelation 20) views. There is “pre-,” “a-,” and “post-,” What do they mean? I am so glad you asked!!!

Put your “thinking caps” on and lets dive in… deep. To make you think, and keep the minds open, I will attempt to refrain from passing judgment on the views. However, I strongly feel one of them is a lie from the pit of hell. (Hint: one of these positions denies the "atonement.")

Premillennialism is a view that Christ will come back BEFORE the millennial; and set up a literal physical 1000 year reign.  

In the category of premillennialism there are two different views.

1. Dispensationalism believes the Bible is separated into seven dispensations (periods of time) in which God dealt with humanity differently. This view claims it follows a strict literal interpretation of Scripture. It was popularized by Darby and Moody in the 1800’s, and Scofield (study Bible) starting around 1900. Keep in mind, this doctrine was never taught by any church before 1830.
2. Historical premillennialism believes that the Bible is a historical record of God dealing with humanity. Lessons can be applied and transferred to different dispensations. This was the belief of many prominent Christians in the first four centuries of church history.

A point of contention running through this subject is the "Great Tribulation" and the timing (or existence) of a "rapture."

1. Posts-tribulationists believe the church will go through the “great tribulation.” (Seven year period of time described in Daniel and Revelation.)
2. Mid-tribulationists believe the church will go through the first half of the tribulation and be raptured in the middle.
3. Pre-tribulationists believe that Christ could come at any moment. The church will be raptured before the tribulation.

Amillennialism holds to the idea that the millennium is now. Satan is now bound so that he cannot prevent the spread of the Gospel. This was the predominate belief of the church through the Middle Ages.

Postmillennialism has a positive view of the trajectory of the history of the world and the church. It believes the earth will get better through the spread of the Gospel. That all the world will convert to Christianity. This optimism died hard during the World Wars. 

There are essentially four hermeneutical views: preterits, idealist, historicist, futurist.

1. The Preterist view maintains that the events and symbols referred to events of John’s time/day. This view denies the prophetic element of the book of Revelation.
2. The Idealist view suggests an allegorical approach to Scripture spiritualizing the symbols of the book of Revelation. It claims no specific historical events or persons are literal.
3. The Historicist view says the symbolism outlines the course of church history from Pentecost to the return of Jesus.
4. The Futurist view claims the first three chapters deal with the apostolic period. The major portion of the book is future.

Concerning the book of Revelation John Wesley wrote, “The revelation was not written without tears; neither without tears will it be understood.” This book requires intellectual, spiritual, and emotional maturity to comprehend. The result should be a more tenacious and fearless witness in a hostile world.