Futurist view of revelation

Futurist premillennial revelation commentary, by don koenig. Scholars are beginning to rightly reject the popular futurist view that the book of revelation has not occurred yet because of these time markers. The postmillennial view the four keys to the millennium. Many, however, may not have heard of the newer last disciple series written by hank hanegraaff, better known in evangelical circles as the bible answer man. Revelation futurist view biblical eschatology blog. Futurist interpretation commentary a testimony of jesus christ. The futurist view interprets revelation literally, not symbolically. Second is the futurist view, and asserts that revelation is about the details and order of future events immediately preceding the second coming. When confronted with the preterist view of eschatology people often say, wasnt the book of revelation written after 70 a. Each of these schools view the prophecies of daniel and revelation differently.

A futurist is when one skips over the dark ages and states that the antichrist is only one single future man, and that the 3 12 years or 42 months of daniel and revelation are based on literal time, not symbolic timerecognizing the dayforyear principle in ezekiel 4. Christian eschatology is a major branch of study within christian theology dealing with the last things. The revelation of jesus christ through the ages, by donald a. The other three systems are the historicist, the preterist, and the spiritual or idealist. While the common events of history are not specified in the visions of revelation 422 at least, the great events of redemption are certainly in view. The book of revelation is a spectacular book containing a wide variety of bizarre beasts and mysterious women. Therefore, johns book is a prophetic work which concerns the imminent and inaugurated fulfillment of ot prophecies about the kingdom in jesus christ beale, new international greek testament. From what i understand, the historicist view from the early protestants hasnt been that prominent a view since the early 20th century, after futurism developed in the early 19th century. While not an endall perfected view, the historicist view stands on better ground biblically. In view of gods grace and mercy in providing for our salvation, we should respond in grateful worship.

A critique of the preterist view of soon and near in revelation. Millennial positions and revelation interpretive views. The nonseparatist puritan, thomas brightman, was the first to propose a historicist interpretation of the seven churches of revelation 23. The futurist view would see the vast majority of revelation as awaiting a future fulfillment. A futurist view of the two witnesses in revelation 11 by. In harmony with this position, it was often also contended that revelation 418 describes a future rather than an historic situation. The book is a compilation by four christians two in africa and two in the usa who have put the four major eschatological viewpoints into laymens terms each author stated his view in response to a series of questions about eschatology the endtimes. What is the futurist interpretation of the book of. Of particular importance is the argument that the end time prophecies of. The compromise partial part past, part future view asserts some facts are past, and some point to our future. Against this view it is alleged that it is inconsistent with the repeated declarations of a speedy fulfillment at the beginning and end of the book itself i. I spoke of my view as a redemptivehistorical, modified idealist approach to the interpretation of the book of revelation. When the principles of comparing scripture to scripture and letting scripture interpret scripture are followed, the futurist view seems to emerge as the most credible view when taken in the broad perspective of both the entire bible, and our perspective of history.

Futurist beliefs usually have a close association with premillennialism and dispensationalism. An issue that must be addressed before proceeding to an examination of the text of revelation is our basic hermeneutical approach to the book. Historicist this view sees revelation as a sketch of history from the time of christ to the present. Historicist interpretations of the book of revelation. Perhaps the most vociferous challengers to the futurist position come from the works of partial preterists who contend that the futuristic section of the book 422 was mostly fulfilled in the events surrounding the fall of jerusalem in. For those who hold the futurist approach to the book of revelation, such a one will see the book of. The view of the person will affect hisher interpretation of the book of revelation. There is another group who are versed in biblical languages and well educated that takes a postmillennial view and include jonathan edwards, george whitfield, and charles finney he was not well educated, not that education is that important, but gives one more tools to. The futurist interpreters refer all the book, except the first three chapters, to events which are yet to come. In other words, when futurists look at the book of revelation, they see little or no prophetic fulfilments during the entire course of christian history. The preterist view of the end times is based on a symbolic view of the book of revelation that holds most of its prophecies have already been fulfilled. Consequently, much of the book had little direct relevance for those persecuted believers to whom the book was originally addressed. A redemptivehistorical, modified idealist approach to the.

Many christians dont know this, but there are really three major prophetic schools of interpretation now in conflict preterism, historicism, and futurism. To worship jesus christ as we should, we must understand and believe that he. This prophetic perspectives series will simplify and clarify the issues. Futurism is a christian eschatological view that interprets portions of the book of revelation, the book of ezekiel, and the book of daniel as future events in a literal, physical, apocalyptic, and global context. The futurist approach to revelation argues that revelation 422 relates primarily to a future time before and after the return of christ. The interpretation of the book of revelation has often proven difficult throughout the history of the christian church. Futurism and defining the issue before we go much farther, lets define some terms. It is also a book of great contrasts, from the terrible trumpets and devastating plagues to the most beautiful pictures of heaven and the new city of god. This is known as the quick fix of 96 for if revelation was written. An evangelical preterist interpretation of revelation in the last. The preterist approach to revelation the unfolding of biblical.

This revelation commentary takes the point of view that most of the book is a literal prophecy of things to come. Four views a parallel commentary, edited by steve gregg and published by thomas nelson and sons. Koenig is a unique free verse by verse futurist premillenial common sense commentary on revelation the apocalypse. Conversely if most copyists were preterists this marginal note would more likely be interpreted as a commentators note and kept out of the. We believe in the futurist interpretation of the book of revelation. Revelation futurist view december 5, 2008 biblical guy revelation 70 a. This is because we are convinced of the golden rule of interpretation as the key to properly understanding gods revelation. A realized eschatological view and commentary of revelation 20. But the futurist view that revelation is predicting events yet to be fulfilled is only one of four traditional christian ways of looking at the bibles. The fact that the futurist view of prophecy was of jesuit origin will be alarming to many evangelical protestants. The futurist generally believes that all of the visions from revelation rev. Article from the historicist view sees revelation as a record of the course of history from the time of the apostles to the end of the world. This book allows proponents of each of the four major interpretive views on revelation to present an overview from their perspective. By comparison, other christian eschatological views interpret these passages as past events in a symbolic, historic.

D, apocalypse, early church, futurist, revelation second is the futurist view, and asserts that revelation is about the details and order of future events immediately preceding the second coming. Ladd who sets forth his position in his work the blessed hope, published in 1956. In reading some of hamilton over the last year i learned that he takes a historicist view of revelation, which is a less common premillennial view. The futurist interpretation of the book of revelation is one of four approaches to understanding the prophecies of revelation. Preterism denies the future, literal fulfillment of most of its predictions, focusing instead on allegory and symbolism. The weakness of the futurist approach is that it views the bulk of the book of revelation as describing events in a distant future. One will interpret revelation according to ones method of interpretation.

The historicist approach understands revelation to be a prophecy of church history from the first advent until the second coming of christ. The three prevailing millennium views in revelation. Too few of them realize there are other approaches to revelation. Revelation 12 in this post, three views will be presented.

These four views are carefully and evenhandedly analyzed and then applied to each verse and passage in revelation. Counterreformation futurist and preterist views of. The futurist view was introduced by the jesuits to counter the reformation view of papacy. By comparison, other christian eschatological views interpret these passages as past events in a symbolic, historic context, or as presentday events in a nonliteral and spiritual context. According to this view, almost all of revelation chapters 422 records events that will take place at the end of time.

But the futurist view that revelation is predicting events yet to be fulfilled is only one of four traditional christian ways of looking at the bibles most enigmatic book. Most evangelicals today assume that revelation is speaking about their own future. Over the course of the churchs history there have been four main approaches. It would argue that these fulfillments are based upon history primarily associated with western europe. Throughout church history, there have been four different views regarding the book of revelation. This view was held by some of the second and third century church fathers although this is disputed, and is popular amongst most evangelicals today. A typical historicist view of the church of christ spans several periods of church history, each similar to the original church, as follows. I wrote this series for a book that was published in the republic of south africa. Preterism, historicism, futurism explained white horse media. When the principles of comparing scripture to scripture and letting scripture interpret scripture are followed, the futurist view seems to emerge as the most credible view when taken in. The idealist interpretation sees revelation as being fulfilled all the time throughout the history of the church.

Christine joy tan, bible prophecy teacher and christian educator, serves in asia, america, and europe. The reason for the view is found in the comparison of revelation rev. Preterist, futurist or historical view of bible prophecy. The four views and their proponents are 1 the preterist view, by kenneth l. Eschatology, from two greek words meaning last and. The futurist interpretation lends itself to a more literal view than do the other interpretive systems, which tend to allegorize the events of revelation. A the preterist view, which holds that these events were fulfilled in the first century b the futurist view, which says that these events are yet to be fulfilled during a future great tribulation. The preterist from the latin word preter, which means past sees the vast majority of revelation as having been fulfilled around ad 70 with the destruction of the temple in jerusalem. What is the idealist interpretation of the book of revelation.

Bible scholars have taken one of four interpretations concerning the book of revelation. In order to apply this period to history from the time of john to that of the interpreter, the 1260 days of the time period. The leading twentiethcentury exponent of the futurist view is george e. One of the problems the historicist view encounters is that the events of the book of revelation appear to be clustered within a relatively short time period rev. There is a gap of over 2400 years between the 69th week and 70th week of daniel 9. Interpreting revelation by cornelis venema ligonier ministries. Posts about futurist view of revelation written by rphilli. In this article i will be focusing on futurisms strengths. This is a summary of sam storms views on this chapterat least up through verse. The approach to interpreting the book of revelation which has gained perhaps the widest exposure of all systems of interpretation in recent times is the futurist. The preterist approach to revelation the unfolding of. Futurism is a difficult view to overthrow because of its large installed base of adherents. The futurist view by far, the view that is most popular among the evangelical masses today is the futurist view sometimes called the dispensational view. The first and second articles in this series critiqued three.

He outlined how the seven churches represent the seven ages of the church of christ. This view of revelation is supported in the outline provided in the book itself revelation 1. Futurist this view sees everything in the book of revelation from chapter 4 on as future. The preterist view asserts no biblical prophecy remains to be fulfilled. The futurist view asserts all the biblical facts of the second coming point to our future. It deeply concerns many protestants that the thesis of ribera is so closely aligned to the modern futurist view held by fundamentalist protestants. D they point out incorrectly that revelation was written in 95 or 96 a. This is true of all written communication where the desire of the author is to convey a clear message rather than to puzzle or obscure.