The Revelation

1
The Revelation

• William N. Wilder

2
Revelation

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

3
Revelation

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

4
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

5
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
6
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

The historicist approach, which is the historic
Protestant interpretation of the book, sees the
Book of Revelation as a prewritten record of the
course of history from the time of the apostle to
the end of the world. Fulfillment is thus
considered to be in progress at the present and
has been unfolding for nearly two thousand years
(Gregg, 2).
7
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

The preterist approach sees the fulfillment of
Revelations prophecies as already having
occurred in what is now the ancient past, not
long after the authors own time. Thus the
fulfillment was in the future from the point of
view of the inspired author, but it is in the
past from our vantage point in history (Gregg,
2).
8
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

The preterist approach sees the fulfillment of
Revelations prophecies as already having
occurred in what is now the ancient past, not
long after the authors own time. Thus the
fulfillment was in the future from the point of
view of the inspired author, but it is in the
past from our vantage point in history (Gregg,
2).
Some preterists believe that the final chapters
of Revelation look forward to the second coming
of Christ. Others think that everything in the
book reached its culmination in the past (Gregg,
2).
9
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

The futurist approach postulates that the
majority of the prophecies of the Book of
Revelation have never yet been fulfilled and
await future fulfillment. Futurist interpreters
usually apply everything after chapter four to a
relatively brief period before the return of
Christ (Gregg, 2).
10
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

What I am calling the spiritual approach (often
called the idealist or symbolic approach) to
Revelation does not attempt to find individual
fulfillments of the visions but takes Revelation
to be a great drama depicting transcendent
spiritual realities, such as the spiritual
conflict between Christ and Satan, between the
saints and the antichristian world powers, and
11
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

What I am calling the spiritual approach (often
called the idealist or symbolic approach) to
Revelation does not attempt to find individual
fulfillments of the visions but takes Revelation
to be a great drama depicting transcendent
spiritual realities, such as the spiritual
conflict between Christ and Satan, between the
saints and the antichristian world powers, and
depicting the heavenly vindication and final
victory of Christ and his saints. Fulfillment is
seen either as entirely spiritual or as
recurrent, finding representative expression in
historical events throughout the age, rather than
in one-time, specific fulfillments. The prophecy
is thus render applicable to Christians in any
age (Gregg, 2-3).
12
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
13
Outline of Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Already in the second century, the watershed
issue in the interpretation of the Apocalypse was
defined in terms of ones understanding of the
meaning of the thousand years in Revelation 20.
The term Millenium (from the Latin mille
thousand, and annus years) has generally been
adopted to refer to this period Three Christian
views on the Millennium may be distinguished from
one another 1. premillennialism, 2.
postmillennialism, and 3. amillennialism (Gregg,
27).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
14
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Already in the second century, the watershed
issue in the interpretation of the Apocalypse was
defined in terms of ones understanding of the
meaning of the thousand years in Revelation 20.
The term Millenium (from the Latin mille
thousand, and annus years) has generally been
adopted to refer to this period Three Christian
views on the Millennium may be distinguished from
one another 1. premillennialism, 2.
postmillennialism, and 3. amillennialism (Gregg,
27).
Revelation 201-8 Then I saw an angel coming
down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to
the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he
seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is
the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand
years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it
and sealed it over him, so that he might not
deceive the nations any longer, until the
thousand years were ended. After that he must be
released for a little while. 4 Then I saw
thrones, and seated on them were those to whom
the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw
the souls of those who had been beheaded for the
testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and
who had not worshiped the beast or its image and
had not received its mark on their foreheads or
their hands. They came to life and reigned with
Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the
dead did not come to life until the thousand
years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the
first resurrection! Over such the second death
has no power, but they will be priests of God and
of Christ, and they will reign with him for a
thousand years. 7 And when the thousand years
are ended, Satan will be released from his prison
8 and will come out to deceive the nations that
are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and
Magog, to gather them for battle their number is
like the sand of the sea.

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
15
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Premillennialism (once known as chiliasm) is the
belief that the second coming of Christ will
precede the millennial kingdom. Taking a mostly
literal approach, premillenarians expect a period
of one thousand years duration, during which
Christ will reign with his saints here on earth
prior to the establishment of the eternal new
heavens and new earth. The millennial reign will
be characterized by international peace and
justice resulting from the enforced rule of
Christ over saved and unsaved alike. At the end
of this time, Satans brief period of freedom
will put humanity to one final test before the
final judgment (Gregg, 27).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
16
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Premillennialism (once known as chiliasm) is the
belief that the second coming of Christ will
precede the millennial kingdom. Taking a mostly
literal approach, premillenarians expect a period
of one thousand years duration, during which
Christ will reign with his saints here on earth
prior to the establishment of the eternal new
heavens and new earth. The millennial reign will
be characterized by international peace and
justice resulting from the enforced rule of
Christ over saved and unsaved alike. At the end
of this time, Satans brief period of freedom
will put humanity to one final test before the
final judgment (Gregg, 27).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
Church age
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
17
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Premillennialism (once known as chiliasm) is the
belief that the second coming of Christ will
precede the millennial kingdom. Taking a mostly
literal approach, premillenarians expect a period
of one thousand years duration, during which
Christ will reign with his saints here on earth
prior to the establishment of the eternal new
heavens and new earth. The millennial reign will
be characterized by international peace and
justice resulting from the enforced rule of
Christ over saved and unsaved alike. At the end
of this time, Satans brief period of freedom
will put humanity to one final test before the
final judgment (Gregg, 27).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

There are two principal varieties of
premillennialism historic premillennialism and
dispensational premillennialism or, simply
dispensationalism. The latter differs from the
former in its emphasis on the continuing
centrality of national Israel in Gods
eschatological program and in anticipating a
Rapture of Christians to heaven before the
beginning of the Tribulation (Gregg, 27).
Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
Rapture
Tribulation
17
Church age
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
18
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Premillennialism (once known as chiliasm) is the
belief that the second coming of Christ will
precede the millennial kingdom. Taking a mostly
literal approach, premillenarians expect a period
of one thousand years duration, during which
Christ will reign with his saints here on earth
prior to the establishment of the eternal new
heavens and new earth. The millennial reign will
be characterized by international peace and
justice resulting from the enforced rule of
Christ over saved and unsaved alike. At the end
of this time, Satans brief period of freedom
will put humanity to one final test before the
final judgment (Gregg, 27).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

There are two principal varieties of
premillennialism historic premillennialism and
dispensational premillennialism or, simply
dispensationalism. The latter differs from the
former in its emphasis on the continuing
centrality of national Israel in Gods
eschatological program and in anticipating a
Rapture of Christians to heaven before the
beginning of the Tribulation (Gregg, 27).
Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
Rapture
Tribulation
18
Church age
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
19
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

This view is most likely to be held by those
adopting a futurist approach to Revelation (e.g.,
Walvoord, Ryrie, Gaebelein, Ironside, etc.)
(Gregg, 28).
Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
19
Church age
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
20
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Postmillennialism teaches that Christ returns
after the millennial period. According to this
camp, the millennial kingdom will be established
through the evangelistic mission of the church.
This enterprise will be so successful that all or
most people will become Christians, resulting in
a thousand years of peace on earth before
Christs second coming. Many great evangelical
leaders, including Benjamin B. Warfield and
Jonathan Edwards, were postmillennialists, as are
a growing number of modern evangelicals, known as
Christian Reconstructionists (Gregg, 28).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
20
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
Church age
21
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Postmillennialists are often (though not always)
inclined toward the preterist approach to
Revelation (e.g. Chilton, Gentry, though not
Rushdoony), since their optimistic view of the
future works better if the disasters described in
Revelation are seen as belonging to a time now
past, rather than to the end of history (Gregg,
28).
Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
21
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
Church age
22
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist
Amillennialism understands the thousand years of
Revelation 20 to symbolize an indefinitely long
period of time, which happens to correspond to
the entire span of time from the first coming of
Christ until his second coming. Most aspects of
chapter 20 (like most aspects of the rest of
Revelation) are believed to be symbolic. The
binding of Satan happened spiritually at the
Cross the reign of the saints is the present
age the loosing of Satan is a final period of
deception coming on the world at the end of the
age the fire from heaven that devours the wicked
is the second coming of Christ. Those of this
persuasion have included virtually every
theologian from Augustine through the
Reformation, and there are many adherents today
(Gregg, 28).

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
22
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
Church age
Millennium
23
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

Amillennialists have been found among the
adherents of several of the various approaches to
Revelation, including the historicist (e.g.,
Martin Luther), the preterist (Jay Adams), and
the spiritual idealist (William Hendriksen),
but only rarely of the futurist (Abraham Kuyper).
Three Approaches to Rev 20-22 Premillennial Amil
lennial Postmillennial
23
Return of Christ
Millennium
Eternal State
Church age
Millennium
24
Revelation
Four Approaches to Rev 4-19 Historicist Preteris
t Futurist Idealist

• The Seven Letters
• The Seven-Sealed Scroll
• The Seven Trumpets
• The 1260 Days
• The Seven Plagues
• The Great Babylon
• The Millennium
• The New Creation

• --Revelation 1-3
• --Revelation 4-7
• --Revelation 8-10
• --Revelation 11-13
• --Revelation 14-16
• --Revelation 17-19
• --Revelation 20
• --Revelation 21-22

25
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
26
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 14 John to the seven churches that are in
Asia Grace to you and peace
Rev 111 "Write what you see in a book and send
it to the seven churches
Rev 2221 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with
all. Amen.
27
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 14 John to the seven churches that are in
Asia Grace to you and peace
Rev 111 "Write what you see in a book and send
it to the seven churches
Rev 2221 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with
all. Amen.
Letter
Thus the first step toward gaining a correct
understanding of Revelation is to recognize that
it is an epistle to a particular group of
Christians, aiming to address their specific
needs at the time it was written (Gregg, 9).
28
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
29
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 13 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the
words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who
hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the
time is near.
Rev 227 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed
is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of
this book."
Rev 2210 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the
words of the prophecy of this book, for the time
is near.
30
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 13 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the
words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who
hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the
time is near.
Rev 227 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed
is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of
this book."
Rev 2210 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the
words of the prophecy of this book, for the time
is near.
Prophecy
Prophecy involves the related factors of
preaching and prediction, or as some put it,
through forthtelling the word of the Lord for the
present and foretelling future events. The
former is found in chs. 2-3 while the predictive
element is prominent in chapters 4 through 22
(Gregg, 10).
31
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
32
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Revelation 121-6 And a great sign appeared in
heaven a woman clothed with the sun, with the
moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of
twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was
crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving
birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven
behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and
ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His
tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven
and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood
before the woman who was about to give birth, so
that when she bore her child he might devour it.
33
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Revelation 121-6 And a great sign appeared in
heaven a woman clothed with the sun, with the
moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of
twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was
crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving
birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven
behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and
ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His
tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven
and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood
before the woman who was about to give birth, so
that when she bore her child he might devour it.
Apocalyptic
Another obvious similarity between the canonical
Apocalypse and its uninspired counterparts is
the use of vivid images and symbols monsters and
dragons symbolic numbers and names, etc. in
depicting the conflict between good and evil
(Gregg, 11).
34
Interpretive Considerations
Genre
What then is the genre?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
35
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
36
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 117 And when they have finished their
testimony, the beast that rises from the
bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer
them and kill them
Rev 131 And I saw a beast rising out of the
sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten
diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its
heads.
37
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 117 And when they have finished their
testimony, the beast that rises from the
bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer
them and kill them
Rev 131 And I saw a beast rising out of the
sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten
diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its
heads.
Rev 148 Another angel, a second, followed,
saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she
who made all nations drink the wine of the
passion of her sexual immorality.
Rev 1821 Then a mighty angel took up a stone
like a great millstone and threw it into the sea,
saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown
down with violence, and will be found no more
38
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
39
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev113 And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,
clothed in sackcloth."
Rev 125-6 She gave birth to a male child, one
who is to rule all the nations with a rod of
iron, but her child was caught up to God and to
his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the
wilderness, where she has a place prepared by
God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260
days.
40
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev113 And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,
clothed in sackcloth."
Rev 125-6 She gave birth to a male child, one
who is to rule all the nations with a rod of
iron, but her child was caught up to God and to
his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the
wilderness, where she has a place prepared by
God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260
days.
Rev 1214 But the woman was given the two wings
of the great eagle so that she might fly from the
serpent into the wilderness, to the place where
she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and
half a time.
Rev 135 And the beast was given a mouth
uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it
was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two
months.
41
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 113 And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,
clothed in sackcloth."
Rev 125-6 She gave birth to a male child, one
who is to rule all the nations with a rod of
iron, but her child was caught up to God and to
his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the
wilderness, where she has a place prepared by
God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260
days.
Rev 1214 But the woman was given the two wings
of the great eagle so that she might fly from the
serpent into the wilderness, to the place where
she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and
half a time.
Rev 135 And the beast was given a mouth
uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it
was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two
months.
42
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
43
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
44
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The first of each affects the earth (87 162)
45
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The second of each affects the sea (88 163)
46
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The third of each affects the rivers (810 164)
47
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The fourth of each affects the heavenly bodies
(812 168)
48
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The fifth of each affects the men (91 1610)
49
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The sixth of each affects the Euphrates (913
1612)
50
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The seventh of each is the end (1115 1617)
51
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The seventh of each is the end (1115 1617)
52
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
7 trumpets
7 bowls
The seventh of each is the end (1115 1617)
53
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
What then is the structure?
How should it shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Some futurists see two parallel sections
seeing chapters 4 through 11 as a complete
description of the Tribulation,
and chapters 12 through 19 as another description
of the same period.
Gregg, 19.
Those who take the spiritual approach have been
known to identify as many as seven parallel
segments in the book.
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
54
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
Millennium
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
Rev 1919-21 19 And I saw the beast and the
kings of the earth with their armies gathered to
make war against him who was sitting on the horse
and against his army. 20 And the beast was
captured, and with it the false prophet who in
its presence had done the signs by which he
deceived those who had received the mark of the
beast and those who worshiped its image. These
two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that
burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by
the sword that came from the mouth of him who was
sitting on the horse, and all the birds were
gorged with their flesh.
55
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
Millennium
1-3
4-7
8-10
12-14
15-16
17-19
20-22
Rev 1919-21 19 And I saw the beast and the
kings of the earth with their armies gathered to
make war against him who was sitting on the horse
and against his army. 20 And the beast was
captured, and with it the false prophet who in
its presence had done the signs by which he
deceived those who had received the mark of the
beast and those who worshiped its image. These
two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that
burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by
the sword that came from the mouth of him who was
sitting on the horse, and all the birds were
gorged with their flesh.
Rev 201-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from
heaven, holding in his hand the key to the
bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he
seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is
the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand
years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it
and sealed it over him, so that he might not
deceive the nations any longer, until the
thousand years were ended. After that he must be
released for a little while.
56
Interpretive Considerations
Structure
57
Interpretive Considerations
Date
When then was it written?
Does the dating shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 179-10 This calls for a mind with wisdom
the seven heads are seven mountains on which the
woman is seated 10 they are also seven
kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the
other has not yet come, and when he does come he
must remain only a little while.
58
Interpretive Considerations
Date
When then was it written?
Does the dating shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 179-10 This calls for a mind with wisdom
the seven heads are seven mountains on which the
woman is seated 10 they are also seven
kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the
other has not yet come, and when he does come he
must remain only a little while.
Rev 1318 18 This calls for wisdom let the one
who has understanding calculate the number of the
beast, for it is the number of a man, and his
number is 666.
59
Interpretive Considerations
Date
When then was it written?
Does the dating shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Rev 179-10 This calls for a mind with wisdom
the seven heads are seven mountains on which the
woman is seated 10 they are also seven
kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the
other has not yet come, and when he does come he
must remain only a little while.
Rev 1318 18 This calls for wisdom let the one
who has understanding calculate the number of the
beast, for it is the number of a man, and his
number is 666.
60
Interpretive Considerations
Date
When then was it written?
Does the dating shape our interpretation ?
Which of the four approaches does it favor?
Irenaeus
Now since this is so, and since this number 666
is found in all the good and ancient copies, and
since those who have seen John face to face
testify, and reason teaches us that the number of
the name of the beast appears according to the
numeration of the Greeks by the letters in it We
will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing
positively as to the name of the Antichrist for
if it were necessary that his name should be
distinctly revealed in this present time, it
would have been announced by him who beheld the
apocalyptic vision. For that was seen no very
long time since, but almost in our day, towards
the end of Domitians reign.
61
Interpretive Considerations
Date
62
Interpretive Considerations
The Book of Revelation