Understanding Revelation: Perspectives on the Second Coming

 

Summary

In our exploration of the Book of Revelation, we delve into the complexities of interpreting this profound text, particularly concerning the doctrine of the second coming of our Lord. This book is pivotal in understanding eschatology, yet it presents interpretative challenges that have led to the development of three main schools of thought: the preterist, futurist, and historicist views. Each of these perspectives offers a unique lens through which to view the prophetic messages contained within Revelation.

The preterist view posits that the events described in Revelation have already occurred, primarily within the first three centuries of the Christian era. However, this interpretation seems inadequate as it fails to account for the book's depiction of events extending to the end of time, including the ultimate defeat of evil. The futurist perspective, on the other hand, suggests that the majority of Revelation's prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, occurring just before Christ's return. This view, while popular, raises significant objections, particularly regarding its relevance to the early church and its alignment with the broader scriptural narrative.

The historicist view, which we will explore further, offers a continuous historical interpretation, suggesting that Revelation outlines the unfolding of church history. This perspective aligns more closely with the experiences of Christians throughout the ages, providing comfort and strength in times of trial.

Our examination of these views is not merely an academic exercise but a spiritual endeavor to understand the times and strengthen our faith. The Book of Revelation is not a mere curiosity but a divine gift meant to equip us for the spiritual battles we face. It is crucial to approach this text with a balanced and open mind, allowing it to speak to us across the ages, offering insight and encouragement.

Key Takeaways:

- The Preterist View's Limitations: The preterist interpretation, which confines Revelation's events to the early Christian era, fails to account for the book's portrayal of the ultimate defeat of evil and the end of time. This view overlooks the broader eschatological narrative that extends beyond the early church. [05:57]

- Futurist View's Relevance Challenge: The futurist perspective, which projects Revelation's prophecies into the future, struggles to provide comfort and relevance to the early church and subsequent generations. Prophecy's primary function is to strengthen faith by demonstrating fulfillment, a purpose undermined if Christians are absent when these events occur. [12:35]

- Scriptural Analogy and Unity: The futurist view disrupts the scriptural analogy and the unity of Revelation by suggesting a reconstitution of the Roman Empire and compressing prophetic events into a brief period. This interpretation contradicts the extended timelines seen in biblical prophecy and the cohesive narrative of Revelation. [15:55]

- The Kingdom's Present Reality: Contrary to the futurist postponement of God's kingdom, Revelation affirms the kingdom's present reality. John and the early Christians were already part of this kingdom, emphasizing that the kingdom of God is both a present and future reality, manifesting where Christ reigns. [22:29]

- Immediate Relevance of Prophecy: The language of Revelation, with terms like "shortly" and "at hand," indicates an immediate relevance to John's contemporaries. This immediacy suggests that the book's prophecies began unfolding soon after its writing, continuing through history, and offering ongoing relevance and comfort to believers. [25:58]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Revelation
- [00:31] - Schools of Interpretation
- [01:46] - Preterist View Explained
- [02:01] - Futurist View Overview
- [03:10] - Historicist View Introduction
- [04:00] - Importance of Prophecy
- [05:10] - Critique of Preterist View
- [06:44] - Critique of Futurist View
- [09:00] - Prophecy's Role in Strengthening Faith
- [12:53] - Scriptural Analogy and Unity
- [20:49] - The Kingdom's Present Reality
- [23:38] - Immediate Relevance of Prophecy
- [36:30] - Chapter 12's Historical Context
- [41:52] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Revelation 1:1-3
2. Revelation 1:6, 9
3. Revelation 22:6, 10

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#### Observation Questions
1. What are the three main schools of interpretation of the Book of Revelation mentioned in the sermon? ([01:46])
2. According to the sermon, what is the primary function of prophecy as described by the Apostle Peter? ([10:17])
3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between the vision in Revelation chapter 1 and the letters to the seven churches? ([17:37])
4. What does the sermon suggest about the immediacy of the events described in Revelation, based on the language used in the text? ([24:07])

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the preterist view limit the understanding of Revelation's message, according to the sermon? ([05:57])
2. In what ways does the futurist view challenge the relevance of Revelation for the early church and subsequent generations? ([09:00])
3. How does the sermon argue for the present reality of God's kingdom as described in Revelation? ([22:29])
4. What implications does the sermon suggest about the unity of the Book of Revelation and its interpretation? ([17:00])

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the preterist view's limitations. How might focusing solely on past events in Revelation affect your understanding of its message for today? ([05:57])
2. Consider the futurist view's challenge to relevance. How can you find comfort and strength in Revelation's prophecies in your current life situation? ([09:00])
3. The sermon emphasizes the present reality of God's kingdom. How do you see the kingdom of God manifesting in your daily life and community? ([22:29])
4. Revelation uses terms like "shortly" and "at hand." How do these terms influence your perception of the urgency and relevance of its message? ([24:07])
5. The sermon discusses the unity of Revelation. How does viewing the book as a cohesive whole change your approach to reading and understanding it? ([17:00])
6. How can the prophetic messages in Revelation provide you with comfort and encouragement during times of trial? ([04:53])
7. Reflect on the idea that the kingdom of God is both present and future. How does this dual reality impact your faith and actions? ([23:03])

Devotional

Day 1: The Preterist View's Incomplete Picture
The preterist view suggests that the events in the Book of Revelation have already occurred, primarily within the first three centuries of the Christian era. However, this interpretation falls short as it does not account for the book's depiction of the ultimate defeat of evil and the end of time. The preterist perspective overlooks the broader eschatological narrative that extends beyond the early church, failing to recognize the ongoing relevance of Revelation's prophecies. By confining the events to the past, this view misses the hope and assurance that the ultimate victory over evil provides to believers throughout history. [05:57]

Revelation 1:19-20 (ESV): "Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches."

Reflection: Consider how the ultimate defeat of evil impacts your understanding of current struggles. How does this assurance of victory influence your daily walk with Christ?


Day 2: The Futurist View's Relevance Challenge
The futurist perspective posits that the majority of Revelation's prophecies are yet to be fulfilled, occurring just before Christ's return. While this view is popular, it raises significant objections, particularly regarding its relevance to the early church and its alignment with the broader scriptural narrative. Prophecy's primary function is to strengthen faith by demonstrating fulfillment, a purpose undermined if Christians are absent when these events occur. The futurist view struggles to provide comfort and relevance to the early church and subsequent generations, as it projects the fulfillment of prophecies into a distant future. [12:35]

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (ESV): "Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."

Reflection: How can you find comfort and relevance in prophecies that seem distant? What steps can you take to ensure that your faith is strengthened by the promises of God today?


Day 3: Scriptural Analogy and Unity
The futurist view disrupts the scriptural analogy and the unity of Revelation by suggesting a reconstitution of the Roman Empire and compressing prophetic events into a brief period. This interpretation contradicts the extended timelines seen in biblical prophecy and the cohesive narrative of Revelation. By doing so, it challenges the continuity and unity of the scriptural message, which is meant to provide a consistent and coherent understanding of God's plan throughout history. The unity of Scripture is essential for understanding the unfolding of God's redemptive work and the role of prophecy within it. [15:55]

Daniel 2:44 (ESV): "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever."

Reflection: Reflect on how the unity of Scripture impacts your understanding of God's plan. How can you ensure that your interpretation of prophecy aligns with the broader biblical narrative?


Day 4: The Kingdom's Present Reality
Contrary to the futurist postponement of God's kingdom, Revelation affirms the kingdom's present reality. John and the early Christians were already part of this kingdom, emphasizing that the kingdom of God is both a present and future reality, manifesting where Christ reigns. This understanding provides believers with the assurance that they are already participating in God's kingdom, experiencing its blessings and responsibilities. The present reality of the kingdom calls Christians to live in a way that reflects Christ's reign in their lives and communities. [22:29]

Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Reflection: How does the present reality of God's kingdom influence your daily life? In what ways can you actively participate in and reflect the kingdom of God in your community today?


Day 5: Immediate Relevance of Prophecy
The language of Revelation, with terms like "shortly" and "at hand," indicates an immediate relevance to John's contemporaries. This immediacy suggests that the book's prophecies began unfolding soon after its writing, continuing through history, and offering ongoing relevance and comfort to believers. The prophetic messages in Revelation are not just for a distant future but are meant to provide guidance, encouragement, and hope to Christians throughout the ages. Understanding the immediate relevance of prophecy helps believers to see God's hand at work in their lives and the world around them. [25:58]

Revelation 22:10-11 (ESV): "And he said to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.'"

Reflection: How can you find immediate relevance in the prophecies of Revelation for your life today? What specific actions can you take to align your life with the prophetic messages of hope and encouragement?

Quotes

we look at these things because we believe that God has given them to us, not merely that we may be interested in times and Seasons, not merely that we may be animated by some morbid carnal curiosity but rather that as God's people we may have an understanding of the times and above all that we may be strengthened in our faith to face the enemy that is confronting us the battle that we're already waging and the things that may be lying in store for us. [00:45:19]

it seems to rub the book of its main value for the Saints of John's own age. Now John obviously was writing to the men and women in the churches at that time and surely there was some object in writing the book then and for them it was meant to comfort them and to encourage them and to strengthen them but according to the futurist view it really has no such Comfort to offer to the people of John's age indeed it has no Comfort either for the people of subsequent ages. [00:08:50]

the main function of Prophecy is to strengthen our faith by showing us that the things which have been foretold rarely come to pass. Now let me give you an illustration to show you what I mean do you remember how the Apostle Peter puts it in his Second Epistle in the first chapter, he has been comforting these Christians and he said well he said we haven't preached you cunningly devised Fable he said I can give you proof of that. [00:10:06]

prophecy is designed for that end that the people who see its fulfillment are strengthened they say here is something on which I can rest my feet as an impregnable Rock the things that were prophesied have actually come to pass now if it's right to say that that is the main function of Prophecy and it obviously must be well then this futurist view of the Book of Revelation seems to deny that allog together with regard to this book. [00:11:44]

it seems to me that this view contradicts what we may well call the analogy of the scriptures now I mean something like this many of you will remember how several weeks ago we tried to show that the second that the first beast in Revelations 13 is obviously identical with the fourth beast in the 7th chapter of Daniel and everybody rarely has agreed about that the descriptions are so similar it seems quite clear. [00:12:57]

the futurist view postpones the kingdom to the Future it says no the kingdom of God has not yet come this is the church age you remember the classif ification that our Lord when he was here preaching he offered the kingdom and because the kingdom was rejected by the Jews well then it was put into a balance and the church age came in and there's no more talk to say about the kingdom and will be none until the end. [00:20:44]

we have already been made a kingdom the kingdom has already come indeed John says that explicitly in the in the ninth verse listen I John who also am your brother and companion in Tribulation and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was in the aisle which is called pepos now there is John himself saying that he is in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ with these other Christian people to whom he was sending his message. [00:21:51]

the kingdom of God has come the kingdom of God is coming the kingdom of God Is Yet To Come it is to come in a visible external form but the kingdom of God is already here the kingdom of God is where Christ Reigns and he reigns in the hearts of all his people he reigns in the Church the true church the invisible Church the spiritual church so that any view that relegates the kingdom to the Future seems to me to violate these statements. [00:22:52]

the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly shortly come to pass and he sent and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John now you Greek Scholars if you take the word translated shortly and follow it right through the scriptures you will find that it is always translated as either shortly or quickly or soon or speedily if that is so why should it suddenly be given a meaning which says that shortly rarely means something which is to happen in well perhaps 2,000 years or even more. [00:23:38]

blessed is he says John that readeth and remember that applies to the people of John's age they were to be blessed blessed as the result of reading it therefore it surely has some relevance to them blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written therein now you notice that the people of John's age were not only to read it and to hear it but they were to keep those things which were written there in it applied to them they were to do something about it. [00:24:44]

the things which were shown to John were going to start happening very quickly and I want to suggest you when I come to a positive explanation that they did start happening very quickly they began then and they've continued and they are yet to be completed but it does seem to me to be straining straining language and violating language to give two different meanings to the same expression at the beginning and the end of the verse and to put into it this tremendous interval of time. [00:35:59]

this book is one it's a Unity it is a complete whole and the entire book was meant and at relevance for the people of John's age it is meant for and as relevant for every subsequent age of Christian people and of course the history of the church proves that God's people in all times of Affliction and of adversity have recognized themselves in these things have found their strength from this book they said we are going through it as it was prophesied the covenants the Puritans and others this was their book. [00:40:03]

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Transcript
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