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Main articles: Christian eschatology and Book of Revelation This is a general overview of the eschatological interpretations of the Book of Revelation people hold and the differences between Christian groups; the differences are by no means monolithic as representing one group or another and many differences exist within each group. Interpretive and hermeneutical overviews of the Bible- Hermeneutics: Usually Grammatical-Historical typologised and contextualised. There are three covenants - the Covenant of Works or Law, the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace.
Under the Covenant of Works mankind, represented ultimately in a covenantal sense under Adam beginning from the Garden of Eden, failed to live as God intended and stood condemned. But beyond time the Covenant of Redemption was made between the Father and Son, to agree that Christ would live an acceptable substitutionary life on behalf of, and as a covenantal representative for, those who would sin but would trust in Christ as their covenantal substitutionary representative, which bought them into the Covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Grace applies to all who trust Christ for their salvation, regardless of ethnicity, and thus the Covenant covers Jews and Gentiles alike with regard to salvation, sanctification, and resurrection. Dispensational- Hermeneutics: Interpretation as the 'plain meaning' implies. Biblical references to Israel mean ancient and modern Israel. Prophecy is always literal and future, including unconditional promises to Israel to inherit the promised land (from the Nile to the Euphrates and the Eastern bank of the Jordan), Jerusalem and the Temple mount for the rebuilding of a temple possibly in place of the Muslim Dome of the Rock, see Christian Zionism). There are two separate plans of salvation for two separate chosen peoples of God, Jews and Christians - from Biblical times until the end of time. There are seven distinctly separate 'dispensations' (eras) where God tests man's obedience differently. The present 'Church dispensation' concerns Christians as God's 'heavenly people' who are promised a heavenly kingdom and saved by grace through
faith, who are for this age a parenthesis to God's main plan of dealing with and blessing his earthly people, the Jews, seen by some to be saved by sincere law-keeping and seen by others to be saved by grace. Jewish sovereignty over the promised earthly kingdom of Jerusalem and Palestine was postponed from the time of Christ's first coming, because of the Jew's rejection of him, until prior to or just after his second coming when most or all Jews will embrace him - See Restorationism – so following Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, the promised land and the rebuilt Jewish Temple, 'all Israel will be saved' converting to Christianity and Christ will return in a two staged second coming interspersed with the tribulation - the first half of Christ's coming will be to rapture believers and the second to deal with everyone else.
Allegorical or Mythical- Hermeneutics: The Bible may or may not be factually accurate but is designed to teach spiritual lessons through allegory and myth. The Bible is more literary than historical.
Interpretations of the Book of RevelationThe Judgements Chapters 1 - 19: Four views- Idealism: Present continual fulfillment of symbolical text; spiritual events
- Historicism: Gradual historical fulfillment of literary text; real events; Pope/Catholics: Antichrist
- Preterism: Past first century fulfillment of literary text; real events
- Futurism: Future immanent fulfillment of literal text; real events
The Millennium Chapter 20: Three views- Premillennialism: Christ's Second coming before or pre- a literal thousand years, preceeded by a gradual deterioration of human society and the expanse of evil. Can be divided into two main interpretations: Dispensational and Historic Premillennialism.
- Dispensational Premillennialism: The return of Christ is preceeded by the secret rapture of Christians, followed by the rise of Antichrist to rule during a literal seven-year tribulation then Armageddon, followed by the return of Christ.
- Historic Premillennialism: The rapture of the church happens after the literal seven year tribulation, with the church being caught up to meet Christ in the air and accompany him to earth to share in his literal thousand year rule.
- Postmillennialism: Christ's Second coming after or post- thousand years. Also divided into two schools of interpretation: Revivalist and Reconstructionist Postmillennialism:
- Revivalist Postmillenialism: the millennium represents and unknown period of time marked by gradual Christian revival and widespread successful evangelism, followed by Christ's return.
- Reconstructionist Postmillennialist: the Church increases its influence through successful evangelism and expansion, finally establishing a
theocratic kingdom of 1000 years duration (literal or figurative) followed by the return of Christ.
- Amillennialism: Non-literal "thousand years" or long age between Christ's first and second comings; the millenial reign of Christ as pictured in the book of Revelation is now, as Christ is reigning at the right hand of the Father. The standard view of mainline Protestant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholic Church.
Eschatological frameworksHeld by most Protestant Churches who take a Historical-grammatical and Typological interpretation of the Bible and those holding to Reformed theology such as the Reformed church, most of the Presbyterian church, some low church Anglicans, some Baptist churches and some Wesleyan Methodist churches and certain Lutheran churches. - Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Idealism: the book of Revelation was not designed as a historical document or future prophecy, but instead teaches timeless truths about good and evil, Satan and God, etc., by way of metaphor, allegory, and/or story.
- Futurism (Especially Historic-Premillennialism, c.f., George Eldon Ladd as opposed to Dispensational Futurism or Dispensational Premillennialism): the book of Revelation is limited to a specific future period--the tribulation.
- Historicism (See the eschatology of Martin Luther, John Calvin, Joseph Mede, Isaac Newton, John Gill, Matthew Henry, E. B. Elliott, Henry Grattan Guinness, and Charles Haddon Spurgeon; also see for a contemporary overview of this eschatological system, and for a contemporary case see especially Ian Paisley in Northern Ireland): the book of Revelation portrays the span of church history, from the first century to the return of Christ: events in Revelation are symbolically interpreted to portray literal events in the life of the Church.
- Preterism: the book of Revelation was prophecy at the time, but all or most of it has already been fulfilled in the very early days of the Church; esp. centering around the destruction of the Temple and the Jewish nation in 70 A.D. Differences:
- Full Preterism: All of Christian prophecy was fulfilled in the first century, including the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers. The resurrection is interpreted to mean receiving a spiritual body after death, with no promise of a physical resurrection for any besides Christ.
- Partial Preterism: Most of prophecy was fulfilled in the first century, except Christ's return then was as a judge of Israel, but not his final literal coming. He is still to return and literally raise the believing dead.
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
Held by groups who are almost completely Biblically inerrant and often more Arminian leaning. Held by most Protestant groups who take a more literal interpretation of the Bible including many, but not all, Pentecostal Charismatic and Baptist churches and Independent and 'Non-denominational' churches as well as a few of the Presbyterian Church and Wesleyan Methodist churches. Also held by most groups that are labelled Fundamentalists. The more politically active sections within this eschatological view often strongly support the Christian Zionism movement and the associated political, military and economic support for Israel which comes from certain groups within American politics and parts of the Christian right. This view is also held in a modified form by the sects, such as the Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, Christadelphians and Adventist splinter groups such as the Branch Davidians. - Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
Allegorical or MythicalHeld by groups ranging from those who are partly Biblically inerrant to those who do not believe in Biblical inerrancy at all including liberal scholars in main line denominations. Also includes most who believe in Papal infallibility such as most traditional Roman Catholic, high church Anglo-Catholic, Catholic-leaning Lutherans, Eastern Orthodox churches and others. Usually Arminian leaning. - Judgements: Revelation Ch 1 - 19
- Idealism, or
- Partial Preterism
- Millennium: Revelation Ch 20
See alsoReferences- Darrell L. Bock (ed), Three views on the Millennium and beyond (1999, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan) ISBN 0310201438
- C. Marvin Pate (ed), Four views on the Book of Revelation (1998, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan) ISBN 0310210801
- Steve Gregg (ed), Revelation, Four views, A parallel commentary (1997, Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson) ISBN 0840721285
Preterist- Jay Adams, The Time is at Hand (1966, Phillipsburg, New Jersey: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing)
- David Chilton, The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation (1987, Ft. Worth, Texas: Dominion Press)
- Kenneth Gentry, Before Jerusalem Fell: The dating of the Book of Revelation (1989, Tyler, Texas: Institute for Christian Economics)
IdealistUnder construction HistoricistFuturist- Futurism, Premillennialism, Posttribulationism
Premillennial- Restoring the chiliasm of the early Church
PostmillennialUnder construction AmillennialUnder construction
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