The preterist view in four views on the book of revelation. As i read the four views, the preterist view fascinated me. It would help to narrow down how one views revelation, even if taking something from each view. Jan 24, 2011 elements of the differing views can be incorporated beneficially into our understanding of the book. Another helpful section is on the theology of the book. Four views is a comprehensive, evenhanded resource that offers a clear, fair presentation of four of the most important interpretations of the book, allowing you to evaluate. This is known as the quick fix of 96 for if revelation was written under domitians reign then the preterist view. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and summarize three of the four views based on the book, four views on the book of revelation, edited by c. Youll find four major interpretive approaches to the book of revelation that can help you read, understand, and figure out the apocalyptic letter of john. Intro throughout church history, there have been four different views regarding the book of revelation. The four main approaches to understanding the book of revelation. We furnish the full edition of this ebook in epub, doc, djvu, pdf, txt forms.
The term subsumes several similar views of the end times, and it stands in contrast to premillennialism and, to a lesser extent, amillennialism. Church life the preterist archive of realized eschatology. Find the best bible commentaries on revelation for your specific needs. One will interpret revelation according to ones method of interpretation. Historical that the prophesies of the revelations has been occurring since jesus died and continue to this day, preterist that the entire books prophecies have come to completion from when jesus died and the fall of the jewish temple in 70ad, the futurist that all prophecies are forthcoming, the more modern end of days idea, and the. Marvin pate, in his four views on the book of revelation 231 correctly states, i believe, that how one approaches revelation 1. A parallel commentary covers the traditional views in an evenhanded fashion. This book does what it says and provides four different views on the end times from scholars who have delved deeply into the bible and are able to tie prophesies listed into an understandable format. Heretofore, my discussions on the book of revelation have centered around the rapture if and when it will happen, the millennium, and who the antichrist is. Four views on the book of revelation explores the four main views in which revelation is understood. Daniel for example appears to have witnessed john receiving part of revelation 22 in daniel 12, while john appears to have heard details in rev. The triumphant church in heaven with congregation of a complete number, without one. In its radical form this view implies that the book of revelation is entirely preoccupied with future events and had no direct relevance to the 1st century recipients of the apostle johns letter. The idealist view teaches that revelation describes.
Some see three of the four views, according to pate 19 in revelation 1. An honest evaluation of the four views of the book of the revelation leads to the conclusion that the futurist view aligns most closely with our overall understanding of scripture and events in history as we have observed them. The author has researched a vast array of commentaries and commentators on the book of revelation and given us a summary of four different ways of interpreting the book, straight from the mouths of proponents of the various views. The book of revelation introduction the revelation of jesus christ, which god gave him to show his servantsthings which must shortly take place. Background information, origins, sources, pros and cons are all provided in introductions and sidebyside analysis. I have also just recently finished a work for zondervan edited by marvin pate. Four views of revelation class outline ray wimsett 7. The real meaning of the bibles book of revelation is a popular, ongoing debate. For instance, he says that the year reign of rev 20 will be an earthly reign of christ, but the actual length is open to discussion. He sent an angel to present this revelation to his servant john. It is the only book of the new testament classified as apocalyptic literature rather than didactic or historical, indicating thereby its extensive use of visions, symbols, and allegory, especially in connection with future events. Four views on the book of revelation faithgateway store. Frw, isbn 1401676219, isbn 9781401676216, brand new, free shipping in the us covers the traditional views of the book of revelation from historicist, preterist, futurist, and idealist perspectives. The 66th and final book of the bible is also the most mysterious and enigmatic of them all.
May commence at any moment upon termination of the period of the things which are revelation 1. John dominic crossan, author of how to read the bible and still be a christian. Of all the books of the bible, few are as fascinating or as bewildering as revelation. Most prophecies in the book of revelation were fulfilled during the time. Regarding the theology of revelation, pattersons view is dispensational. Best commentaries and books on revelation logos bible. The book of revelation, a prophecy of warning and hope. The interactive counterpoints forum allows each author not only to present his view, but also to offer brief commentary on other views presented. What is the futurist interpretation of the book of revelation. The view of the person will affect hisher interpretation of the book of revelation. Revelation books four views on the book of revelation edited by marvin pate, the revelation of jesus christ by john walvoord, the book of revelation by clarence larkin, revelation revealed by jack van impe, keys to understanding the book of revelation by arthur bloomfield, wrath and glory by david reagan, revelation unveiled by tim lahaye, a commentary on the revelation of john by george. Revelation books four views on the book of revelation. Throughout church history, there have been four different views regarding the book of revelation. The book of revelation, they would say, is a foretelling of.
Best revelation commentaries updated for 2020 best bible. The basic premise of the futurist viewpoint is that the majority of the prophecies in. Is the book of revelation a blueprint for the future that needs decoding if we want to understand. In fact, gary demar, ralph barker, and i produced a four part video discussion of revelation see advertisement on page 3. While revelation offers many details on the tribulationeven if they are often couched in the mystery of symbolic languageit is the final four chapters that dictate the overall message of the book. Paul tanner the book of revelation bibliography mar 27, 2004 intro. Postmillennialism is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the book of revelation which sees christs second coming as occurring after the millennium, a golden age in which christian ethics prosper. Four views on the book of revelation counterpoints logos bible.
One of the most intriguing books of the bible is the book of revelation. Outstanding overview of the four different views of interpretation for the book of revelation. Bible scholars have taken one of four interpretations concerning the book of revelation. Exploring theology exploring the worship spectrum five views on apologetics five views on law and gospel five views on sanctification four views on eternal security four views on hell four views on salvation in. Christian books on end timeseschatology best commentaries. D they point out incorrectly that revelation was written in 95 or 96 a.
Chances are, they have never heard any other way to understand this book filled with strange beasts, symbolism and ominous signs of doom. Revelation, four views, by steve gregg, provides a parallel commentary on all of these four major views without any apparent bias. Perhaps no book of the bible has generated more controversy than revelation. The opening verses of the book state that john wrote it 1. Its basically a book that outlines four views of interpreting revelation. New york man spends four years writing out the entire bible by. The beast from the sea may be identified as the satanicallyinspired political opposition to the church in any age. In this lecture, bibleteacher steve gregg concludes his discussion of the four views of revelation. The book of revelation starts with this is a revelation from jesus christ, which god gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place. A scholar, teacher, and writer, patterson is the george h. This book allows proponents of each of the four major interpretive views on revelation to present an overview from their perspective. It is the first book that many new to the bible want to study, while it is often neglected by mature.
Since the book of revelation is considered in the apocalyptic genre, the text can be extremely difficult to understand. Key to understanding commentaries on revelations is knowing the position of the commentator. The book of revelation page 2 of 4 preterist idealist classical dispensationalist progressive dispensationalist four views on the book of revelation adapted from. Gregg presents four different views in sideby side. Book of revelation overview insight for living ministries. If searching for a ebook four views on the book of revelation by stanley n. Revelation, four views, a parallel commentary steve gregg. When confronted with the preterist view of eschatology people often say, wasnt the book of revelation written after 70 a. What is the futurist interpretation of the book of. Marvin pate in pdf format, then you have come on to the correct website. Because its more of an overview, the only negative is it never went in depth on exegetical matters. Four views on the book of revelation counterpoints.
Revelation to john, also called book of revelation or apocalypse of john, last book of the new testament. Five views on church growth two views on women in ministry who runs the church. The idealist view teaches that revelation describes in symbolic language the battle throughout the ages between god and satan and good against evil. Historicist interpretation of the book of revelation.
The four major schools of prophetic interpretation if we are to have any success in being free of the inertia of preconceived ideas, if we hope to be aware of our own hidden biases, we must first try to identify them. There have been four basic interpretations of revelation throughout church history. That book allowed the proponents of each of four different views to present an overall summary of their approach to the book of revelation. A historicist approach to interpretation of the revelation sees the book prophesying events that transpire over the course of the entire church age. It was refreshing to read a book about how to approach revelation in its entirety. Dr paige patterson delivers a sermon on revelation 4 at south side baptist church in abilene, tx. Explore the four traditional interpretations of the book of revelation in this indepth, versebyverse overview. Four views of the book of revelation due in spring, 1998. Aug 03, 2010 four views on the book of revelation explores the four main views in which revelation is understood. In this lecture, bibleteacher steve gregg discusses in detail four views of revelation. The four views and their proponents are 1 the preterist view, by kenneth l. How one sees the opening phrases like these things, will soon take place. The imagery of the cosmic battle in heaven and on earth makes it a. The other three systems are the historicist, the preterist, and the spiritual or idealist.
So, the divine author of revelation is jesus christ and the human author is the apostle john. Four views on the book of revelation on apple books. As in the historicist view, the 7 churches are sometimes represented as expressing 7 stages. The historicist view sees revelation as a record of the course of history from the time of the apostles to the end of the world. This book by gregg, on the other hand, is a detailed, versebyverse commentary, with the text divided into paragraphs, and each paragraph followed by four parallel columns. Four views on the book of revelation zondervan counterpoints series does the book discuss other books that overlap revelation. The book of revelation clearly builds on that foundation and expounds it. Reviewed by alex soto when a marriage covenant has been breached by harlotry, offended spouses can pursue divorce.
The format for the main body of revelation, chapters 4 through 19, consists of four columns for the four major views. Preterist idealist classical dispensationalist futurist progressive dispensationalist the interactive counterpoints forum allows each author not only to present his view, but also to offer brief commentary on other views presented. How can we understand the book of revelation and its many interpretations. The battles in revelation are viewed as spiritual warfare manifested in the persecution of christians or wars in general that have occurred in history. Four parallel columns present the information you need on these key views, and inform you about outstanding commentators on the book of revelation.
Revelation 1922 portrays christs future triumph over the forces of evil and his recreation of the world for the redeemed. Each presenter argues his approach to understanding the book of revelation with veracity and conviction. Marvin pate online four views on the book of revelation either. The prophecies have been fulfilled throughout history and are still being fulfilled. For example, the futurists are correct in pointing out that some events described in revelation have yet to be fulfilled 2nd coming of christ, final judgement in chapter 20, renewal of all things in chapter 21,22. Four views on the book of revelation by zondervan book read. Four very different approaches to the book of revelation.
Apr 01, 1998 good introduction to four views on the interpretation of the book of revelation. Ask most people christian or nonchristian what they think the book of revelation is about, and chances are they will tell you it is a book about the end of the world. But just how is one to understand the book of revelation. Is the book of revelation a blueprint for the future that needs decoding if we want to understand current events. Marvin pate, and 4 the classical dispensationalist view, by robert l. Revelation by steve gregg 20, paperback, revised for. An amazing, detailed look at the historical, theological, and most importantly the biblical background on the four separate views of revelations. Historical that the prophesies of the revelations has been occurring since jesus died and continue to this day, preterist that the entire books prophecies have come to completion from when jesus died and the fall of the jewish temple in 70ad, the futurist. Phillip patterson, 63, of upstate new york, began copying the complete king james bible in his neat handwriting in 2009, and completed the. No other book gives such extensive coverage of how the church has understood revelation over.
425 208 689 1291 590 23 1440 1215 490 1219 1438 1334 793 167 223 1437 694 622 1435 1136 458 626 670 416 436 429 755 40 1519 325 1034 683 162 908 192 685 1311 369 373 1354 1337 96 404 864