Series: The Book of Revelation 2026
Service: Wed Bible Study
Type: Bible Class
Speaker: Rick Reeder
The Revelation: Introduction Part 2
Methods of Interpretation
The futurist method
- All prophecy in Revelation is yet to come
- Almost entirely eschatological ("end of times")
- The conditions described in Revelation relate closely with the second coming of Christ
- Takes a literal view of much of Revelation
- Ex. Premillennialism and Postmillennialism
Problems with the futurist method
- Revelation 1:1, 3; 22:6, 10
- The message of Revelation would have been of no comfort, or relevance, to the original audience
- Premillennialism is directly contradicted by other passages of scripture
- How does one know for sure when they are living in the end times?
Continuous Historical Method
- Views Revelation as a forecast of church history
- Usually focuses on
- The papacy and the Roman Catholic Church
- The rise of Islam
- The Reformation
- Adopted by Martin Luther, Albert Barnes, Henry Alford, and other writers/commentators
Problems with Continuous Historical Method
- The message of Revelation would have been of no comfort, or relevance, to the original audience
- Based erroneous assumptions
Philosophy of History Method
- aka Idealist or Spiritual or Symbolical
- Looks at Revelation as symbolic of the conflict between good and evil that lies behind the physical struggle that we see on Earth
- A "cyclical" approach
- Problems
- The message of Revelation would have been of limited comfort, or relevance, to the original audience
- Ignores the historical setting of Revelation
The Preterist Method
- Relating to events that have already come to pass
- Extreme preteris believe that all of the events have come to pass
- Realized Eschatology (AD 70)
- Problems
- With the extreme view, there is little application for later generations
- Has led to interpretations that conflict with both Scripture and secular history
The Historical Background Method
- Combines elements of the preterist and philosophy of history methods
- Some prophecies have already been fulfilled
- Allows for an interpretation that is
- Relevant to the first century saints (the seven churches in Asia)
- And maintains relevance
- To saints today
- For all saints in between
- For all future saints
- Takes into consideration the historical setting of the book, and the state of society at the time of writing (moral, religious, policital, etc.)
- Recognizes that Revelation uses
- Highly figurative language
- A great deal of Old Testament terminology
- Tries to grasp the visions as a whole while avoiding getting lost in the details of the symbolism
- Encourages the reader to open their imagination to the vivid descriptions in the book
- Recognizes that Revelation does not reference specific future historical events such as the Catholic Church, Islam, etc.
- The description of the working of Satan and his forces reveals principles that are eternal in nature
- Victory through righteousness and truth
- God has been, and always will be, on His throne, and in control
- God will always be victorious, and those who are faithful to Him will share in the victory
- There will be a resurrection and a judgement
- Between 200-400 references to the Old Testament in the Revelation
- Why?
- Made the meaning accessible to Christians of the day, but hidden from the secular oppressors of the church
- Using imagery that is already familiar makes The Revelation easier to understand
- There are many parallels to Old Testament circumstances and conditions
The Date of the Writing of the Book of Revelation:
- Early date (64-68 AD) versus late date (81-96 AD)
- Early date: Persecution under Nero (or Jewish opposition)
- Late date: Persecution under Domitian
Setting boundaries:
- Revelation 1:1 - Things to shortly take place
- Revelation 1:3 - The time is near
- Revelation 22:6 - Things which must shortly take place
- Revelation 22:10 - And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prhphecy of this book, for the time is at hand."
