This Q&A is a follow up from the Message, “Engaging Scripture for Cultural Moments” Kaimuki Christian Church – September 27, 2020
https://youtu.be/AaZuO4HZV3Q
In any message preached, the speaker has to choose what to omit. To avoid getting into the weeds, I decided to not go in dept about the four main interpretative styles of Revelation. But, here it is now.
The Historicist Approach: Revelation Surveys the Whole of Church History
· This view is not widely used by modern scholars today. Those who hold to this way of interpreting Revelation believe that God revealed what was going to happen in the future regarding the Church age. That is through these symbolic visions, Jesus gave to John, the interpreter could figure out the Church age. For example in Revelation chapters 6-7, we read about the breaking of the seven seals—and these interpreters said that the breaking of the seals identified the barbarian invasion that brought down the Western Roman Empire. The trumpet of judgment then turned to the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire. The scorpion-tailed locus that came out of the bottomless pit and the serpent tailed horses, of the fifth and sixth trumpets (Revelation chapter 9) represent the Mohamed’s Arab, followed by the Turks, attacking Constantinople. The two Beasts (chapter 13) represent the corrupt political power of the Roman Empire.
Critiques with the Historicist Approach– Many believe that this approach is too narrow—that it only focuses on the Church in Europe. Additionally, critics claim that this interpretation style is concerned with only the Middle Ages and the Reformation and has very little to say after 1500.
The Preterist Approach: Is in the Past, Shortly After the time of Writing
· This interpretation method looks at passages in Revelation that says “this most shortly come to pass” and conclude that this entire letter is for the seven churches! For example, in the Hebrew book of Daniel, Daniel is instructed to seal up this book because it would not be immediately fulfilled (Daniel 12:9). So, if sealing up a prophecy is for the purpose of a future time, then John being told not to seal his prophecy suggests that the fulfillment would be immediate.o Critics of the Preterist View.o Critics indicate that the seven Churches in Asia Minor would find as much value in prophecy and fulfillment as would Christians in any place or time, which would include you and I today.o Additionally, why would this message only be for the seven churches in Asia Minor and not the Jerusalem churches?
The Futurist Approach: Everything after Chapter 3 Awaits Fulfillment in the Future
There are different forms of the futurist view dating back to the second century—but the most prevalent/popular view of this way of interpreting Revelation is also called, “Dispensationalist.” According to dispensationalist, Revelation is divided into three sections because of Revelation 1:19.
Section or Dispensation #1—The Things John has seen, which is the glorified Jesus on the island of Patmos, where John is exiled.
Section or Dispensation #2—chapters 2-3—describe the things which are, referring to the realities of the churches in Asia Minor.
Section or Dispensation #3—Everything after chapter 3 deals with the future.
And this was written not only in the future of the original church, but also, still future from our standpoint.
Critics of the futurist approach· Some critics of this view will point out that this view makes Revelation about 90% irrelevant to the original readers. This view is viewed by some as an escapist view.· Some will also go to the origins of this view. In 1585, the reformers were adamant that the Beast in Revelation was the Pope; consequently, a Spanish Jesuit Priest, Francisco Ribeira, originated the view that the Antichrist has not yet come and would be an individual arising “in the last days.” He created this view to try and prove the antichrist could not be the Pope. So, here is what’s interesting, Protestants rejected this view for over 200 years but it was popularized by the works of John Nelson Darby in the 1830’s.
The Idealist Approach: No Single Fulfillment; Only Transcendent Principles and Recurrent Themes.
Those who teach this interpretation of Revelation believe that Revelation is about themes! That is good triumphs over evil. Christ over Satan. The battles in Revelation refer to Spiritual warfare.
Critics of the idealist Approacho Some look to the first verse of Revelation. Revelation 1:1a—“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.” In other words, there is a historical setting and this letter was written to seven literal churches. In fact Revelation is part epistle and apocalypse.
Credit: Revelation: Four Views, A Parallel Commentary, Steve Gregg
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