The earliest attempts to interpret Revelation's meaning go back as far as Justin Martyr (circa 100-160 AD). Since that time, the understandings and interpretations have been as varied and convoluted as the visions themselves. Yet even the earliest interpretations, such as Justin Martyr's, are fraught with inconsistencies and problems. For example, Justin Martyr believed that Isaiah's prophetic vision of a future where people put aside violence, lived long lives, dwelt in houses, etc. described the Millennial Reign of Revelation. Yet, Isaiah's description coincides more with Revelation's vision of the New Heaven and New Earth than the Millennial Reign. After that came the likes of Montanus, a gnostic cultist that insisted the end was near based on his interpretations of Revelation.
Probably one of the more helpful insights into Revelation, however, came from Victorinus (d. 304), a bishop of Patteau (Slovenia) who was martyred during Diocletian's great persecution. Victorinus noted the similarity of the plagues in Revelation to those of Egypt, and their repetitive nature throughout the book, thus resisting a chronological reading.
Jerome supported Victorinus' non-chronological ordering, but being a monastic, viewed the promises not as earthly material realities but strictly spiritual.
Even Martin Luther, after initially dismissing Revelation as being too convoluted to be of any value, eventually interpreted the events of Revelation as being played out in his own time, describing the Black Death as it swept across Europe multiple times, killing off over half the continent's population. Luther also identified the Roman Pope as the anti-Christ (though Revelation itself does not actually utilize the term "anti-Christ" - the term is used solely in 1 & 2 John and references the existence of many different anti-Christs.)
End-times predictions continued into the founding of America, which was even referred to as "the new world." In the late 1700's and early 1800's, movements such as the Millerites (which eventually became the Seventh-Day Adventists) made bold predictions about the time and date of Christ's return, only to have the dates come and go. Such Revelation-based prediction-making has been integral in the formation of the Jehovah's witnesses, the Branch Davidians, Strong City, and even modern-day Evangelical leaders, such as Harold Camping and Hal Lindsey.
Central to modern American end-times interpretations was Plymouth Brethern's founder John Nelson Darby in the 1800's. Darby studied Biblical prophecy and developed an "end-times script" that pieced together bits and pieces of Old Testament prophecy with Revelation like a scriptural jigsaw puzzle to produce a timeline of prophetic history that mapped out world events from the time of creation to Christ's return. A prominent new idea that emerged was the idea of the "rapture," which promoted the belief that Christians would be swept up into heaven and spared the most horrific parts of Revelation. (This will be discussed more in depth in a subsequent posting). Darby's ideas were spread by a man named Cyrus Scofield (1909) in "The Scofield Reference Bible" and expanded upon by breaking history up into several different "dispensations" of Biblical time.
In more recent decades, Darby and Scofield's ideas have been re-imagined to understand Revelation's cosmic imagery as describing modern helicopters and tanks that John simply lacked the language and knowledge to describe. Books like "Left Behind" have capitalized off this relatively new, distinctly American understanding, placing the events of Revelation in the near future.
Revelation has thus been a disturbing book that has great influence on the church, culture, and even had political ramifications throughout the millennia. These previous understandings challenge our own interpretations and force us to ask pressing questions about how this provocative piece of literature informs our own culture and lives.
Its promises and warnings transcend time and relay timeless truths for the faithful of God. While it indeed points to the ultimate triumph of God, to a vision and a future for God's people, it also speaks to the here and now with both warning and promise. It is a book to neither be relegated to the annals of history nor thrust into some distant future.
As Jesus said over and over, "the Kingdom of God is near." It has both already come in Christ and is yet to come in its full glory. Revelation brings into focus for us the very real and present threats of our world while simultaneously offering up a vision and hope for our future. It is both now - and not yet. It speaks of things that have happened, and things that are yet to come. Christians are called to heed its warnings and hope in its promises.
Probably one of the more helpful insights into Revelation, however, came from Victorinus (d. 304), a bishop of Patteau (Slovenia) who was martyred during Diocletian's great persecution. Victorinus noted the similarity of the plagues in Revelation to those of Egypt, and their repetitive nature throughout the book, thus resisting a chronological reading.
Jerome supported Victorinus' non-chronological ordering, but being a monastic, viewed the promises not as earthly material realities but strictly spiritual.
Even Martin Luther, after initially dismissing Revelation as being too convoluted to be of any value, eventually interpreted the events of Revelation as being played out in his own time, describing the Black Death as it swept across Europe multiple times, killing off over half the continent's population. Luther also identified the Roman Pope as the anti-Christ (though Revelation itself does not actually utilize the term "anti-Christ" - the term is used solely in 1 & 2 John and references the existence of many different anti-Christs.)
End-times predictions continued into the founding of America, which was even referred to as "the new world." In the late 1700's and early 1800's, movements such as the Millerites (which eventually became the Seventh-Day Adventists) made bold predictions about the time and date of Christ's return, only to have the dates come and go. Such Revelation-based prediction-making has been integral in the formation of the Jehovah's witnesses, the Branch Davidians, Strong City, and even modern-day Evangelical leaders, such as Harold Camping and Hal Lindsey.
Central to modern American end-times interpretations was Plymouth Brethern's founder John Nelson Darby in the 1800's. Darby studied Biblical prophecy and developed an "end-times script" that pieced together bits and pieces of Old Testament prophecy with Revelation like a scriptural jigsaw puzzle to produce a timeline of prophetic history that mapped out world events from the time of creation to Christ's return. A prominent new idea that emerged was the idea of the "rapture," which promoted the belief that Christians would be swept up into heaven and spared the most horrific parts of Revelation. (This will be discussed more in depth in a subsequent posting). Darby's ideas were spread by a man named Cyrus Scofield (1909) in "The Scofield Reference Bible" and expanded upon by breaking history up into several different "dispensations" of Biblical time.
In more recent decades, Darby and Scofield's ideas have been re-imagined to understand Revelation's cosmic imagery as describing modern helicopters and tanks that John simply lacked the language and knowledge to describe. Books like "Left Behind" have capitalized off this relatively new, distinctly American understanding, placing the events of Revelation in the near future.
Revelation has thus been a disturbing book that has great influence on the church, culture, and even had political ramifications throughout the millennia. These previous understandings challenge our own interpretations and force us to ask pressing questions about how this provocative piece of literature informs our own culture and lives.
Its promises and warnings transcend time and relay timeless truths for the faithful of God. While it indeed points to the ultimate triumph of God, to a vision and a future for God's people, it also speaks to the here and now with both warning and promise. It is a book to neither be relegated to the annals of history nor thrust into some distant future.
As Jesus said over and over, "the Kingdom of God is near." It has both already come in Christ and is yet to come in its full glory. Revelation brings into focus for us the very real and present threats of our world while simultaneously offering up a vision and hope for our future. It is both now - and not yet. It speaks of things that have happened, and things that are yet to come. Christians are called to heed its warnings and hope in its promises.
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