“What about…”Aledo Church of Christ

Summer Series2014

“How much in Revelation has taken place already;

example: mark of the beast?”

Five Schools of Interpretation

1. Futurist: suggests most of the book reveals events/conditions immediately preceeding the second coming of Christ.

2. Continuous-Historical: holds that Revelation highlights the history of the church beginning from John’s day.

Haily, Homer. Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary. Louisville: Religious Supply, 1992; p. 48-50.

Summers, Ray. Worthy is the Lamb. Nashville:Broadman, 1951; pp. 27-96.

Six Schools of Interpretation

3. Philosophy of History: approaches the book as symbolic of the forces of good and evil throughout time, good wins and ultimately is victorious.

4. Preterist: sees Revelation as entirely intended for John’s original audience and so records events completed in that day.

Six Schools of Interpretation

5. Historical Background: understand Revelation as set within John’s day with specific historical context; events are seen as having been fulfilled in the 2nd and 3rd century AD.

6. Ecclectic: perhaps is closest to the Historical Background approach, seeing Revelation with a concrete setting in a defined time frame. Evil spiritual forces use physical powers to do evil on earth, but the faithful are sustained and victorious. Their resolve is a message of hope for modern Christians.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John…,” (Revelation 1:1, NASB)

Shmai/nw (seimainō): “to give a sign” lit. by a smoke signal…to give a signal for battle…to signify, announce, declare…in such a way that interpretation is needed…”

(Rengstorf, Karl. “Shmai/nw” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971; VII:262).

Importance of Symbols?

1. Futurist view takes position Revelation is completely literal.

2. Other approaches seek to identify meaning of symbols.

View of Revelation

Futurist Stages Tribulation Millennial Kingdom

Cont.-Hist. Churches Symbolic of Final judgmenthistoric events

Phil.-Hist. Historic Symbolic of Victory of GoodChurches conflict (g/e)

View 1-3 4-19 20-22

View of Revelation

PreteristHistoric Symbolic of Symbolic of Contemp. events heaven/jdgmt

Hist.-Back. Lit./Hist. Symbolic of Symbolic ofChurches 2-3 Century heaven/jdgmt

EcclecticLit./Hist. Symbolic of Symbolic ofChurches 2-5 Century

heaven/jdgmt.

View 1-3 4-19 20-22

Reasons for the Ecclectic View

1. Specific information of the 7 churches

2. The mark of the beast & archaeology (13:11-18)

3. “7 mountains” (17:8-13)

A Message of Warning

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”

(Revelation 9:20-21, NASB)