July 28, 202
Preterist, Rev 1:1 “The revelation of Jesus Chirst which God gave him to show his servants the things that mut soon take place.” The Preterist view is generally the one which is earliest in time and shortest in duration. The contents of the book are thought to apply primarily to the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Futurists Rev 20:6 “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.” The Futurist approach to revelation is just about how it sounds. This view states that Revelation details the events immediately leading up to the second coming of Christ. This view holds that before Christ returns there will be a very specific series of events which will begin with certain political events and the rapture.
Chronologists Rev 4:1 “After this I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I heard speaking to me like a trumpet said “Come up here and I will show you what must take place after this.” Sometimes called the continuous historical view. It basically says that the book of revelation covers all of history from the first century until the end of time. Those who hold this view believe that key historical events and leaders can be identified in the book from the first century up to today.
Generalists, Rev 1:1b-2 “He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ even to all that he saw.” This view is often called the philosophy of history, Idealist, Spiritual or Symbolic approach. Many good people have taken this approach and it’s appeal is obvious. The book does lend itself to a repetitive approach as the seals, trumpets, and bowls are certainly related and repetitive. This view essentially says that the book describes in symbolic form the general struggle between good and evil.
Historicist, Rev 6:9-11 “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the alter the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had born. They cried out with a loud voice O Sovereign Lord, holy and true how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Often called the historical background approach (or sometimes considered a variation of the Preterist approach) This view sees the book as having a message to the saints under persecution during the reign of Domitian. It sees the book as primarily describing the fall of Rome through a theological lens. Most of the book then is fulfilled in or before the 5th century AD.
By considering certain key known points we can determine which of these views best captures the message and purpose of Revelation.
~ Kevin Cleary