The Revelation A survey and overview of the last book
"There are two kinds of people when it comes to interpreting Revelation: those who agree with me completely and those who have not yet heard me explain it."
"There are two kinds of people when it comes to interpreting Revelation: those who agree with me completely and those who have not yet heard me explain it."
Before we begin Handouts Q&A and Holdover Questions Quizzes Audio / Handouts / Slides / My Notes will be posted
Some Resources / Sources W. T. Russell D. A. Carson Warren Gage Michael Kruger
Lesson One: There is only ONE Revelation!
My Aim: To make this book accessible!
Outline Introduction My Purpose Canonicity and Attestation Authorship and Dating Approach to Interpretation Literary Genre Themes in the Book Epistolary Purpose (Ch 1 and 22:6 21)
Outline Reading The Revelation 1st Sequence The Seven Churches (Ch2 3) 2nd Sequence The Seven Seals (Ch4 8:5) 3rd Sequence The Seven Trumpets (8:6 11:19) 4th Sequence 3 Monsters and a Baby (12:1 14:20) 5th Sequence The Seven Plagues / Bowls (15:1 16:21) 6th Sequence The Fall of Babylon (17:1 19:21) 7th Sequence The Millennium and Satan's Defeat (20:1 22:5) Summary
Canonicity and Attestation
Canonicity and Attestation B.W. Bacon was so impressed with Revelation s initial reception that he was able to say, There is no book in the entire New Testament whose external attestation can compare with that of Revelation, in nearness, clearness, definiteness, and positiveness of statement (The Making of the New Testament, 190)
Canonicity and Attestation Our evidence goes back as early as Papias (c.125) and also includes Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, the Muratorian Fragment, Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen. In addition, it is worth noting that almost every one of these church fathers accepted the book of Revelation on the same grounds, namely the belief that the apostle John, the son of Zebedee was the author. Michael Kruger
Authorship and Dating ~69 AD? ~96 AD?
My Journey Preterist Eclectic Historicist Complete Mystery No Clue
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist Not the same as Millennial Position! Preterist Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist The Catholic Mass is taken in large part from Revelation. Preterist Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist The point of the book is found primarily in the themes, morals, and Preterist ethics without specific historical basis. Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist The Revelation is primarily about telling the future, especially the end of days. Preterist Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist Preterist The symbolism corresponds to specific, historical people and events. Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical The symbolism corresponds Idealist / Moralist primarily to specific people and events before 70AD. Preterist Futurist Historicist
Roman / Liturgical Idealist / Moralist Preterist Eclectic Futurist Historicist
Literary Genre It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup. Earth provides a comfortable and temperate environment for a wide variety of living organisms Product Ad Text Book Novel
Literary Genre He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. Ps 104:5 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Gen 23:19 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. Isa 11:6
What Genre is Revelation? The revelation of Jesus Christ ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
What Genre is Revelation? The revelation of Jesus Christ ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Apocalypsis The Apocalypse Genre = Apocalyptic
Apocalyptic Prophecy Dream Sequences, not previewed timeline Order of vision may or may not = order of events High Symbolism representative, not actual Fluid Symbolism Angelic hosts/guides Presents Divine Perspective Eschatological Dualism
Parallelism / Recapitulation M A T T H E W M A R K L U K E John Gospel Gospel Gospel Gospel Revelation = 7 Progressive Recapitulations
Themes Numbers Old Testament Allusions Divinity of Jesus Dual Persecution A Tale of Two Cities Wisdom Joshua John s Gospel
Numbers 3.5
Old Testament Allusions
The Divinity of Jesus καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος
Duality of Persecution Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? (Acts 9:4)
and 2 Women
Two Cities/Women Babylon New Jerusalem 17:1 Great Prostitute 21:2, 9 Pure Bride 17:2, 18:3 Wine of Immorality 21:6, 22:1 Water of Life 17:3, 7 8 The Beast 21:9, 22:3 The Lamb 17:4 Gold and Pearls 21:11, 21 Gold and Jewelry 17:4 Immorality Accepted 21:8 Immorality Punished 17:5 Wicked Name 22:4 The Lord s Name 17:18 Great City 21:2, 10 Holy City 18:23 No More Light 21:23 God is the Light 18:23 Deceive the Nations 22:2 Heal the Nations 18:24 City of Death 21:6, 22:14 City of life
Joshua & Jesus Exodus 17:10 καὶ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς Matthew 1:16 ἐξ ἧς ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς
Joshua Jesus is the new and greater This book is a revelation of
John Revelation The preponderance of correspondences between the gospel and the apocalypse seem to indicate both that there is a unity in purpose and that they can best be understood in light of each other.
Epistolary Purpose
3 Keys to Interpretation: Genre (Apocalyptic Prophecy) Source Material (Old Testament, Johannine, etc.) Epistolary Purpose (To the Churches)