The recent unprecedented success of the left behind series is evidence of this popular fascination. The other three systems are the historicist, the preterist, and the spiritual or idealist. The interpretation of the book of revelation has often proven difficult throughout the history of the christian church. The futurist interpretation of the book of revelation is one of four approaches to understanding the prophecies of revelation. The interpreters using the historicist approach for revelation had their origins in the jewish apocalyptic writings such as we see in the book of daniel, which predicted the future the time between their writing and the end of the world. Methods of interpretation there have traditionally been four or five schools of thought on the interpretive framework of the book of revelation as a whole. This paper seeks to define and present the problems or rationale behind. Such literature was developed and became popular after.
As such, this method cannot be the one god wants us to use in interpreting the book of revelation. Our third principle is that context is the key to interpretation and our fourth principle is that. This approach to revelation holds that the book supplies a prophetic panorama of church history from the first century to the second coming of christ. Book of revelation for dummies cheat sheet dummies. Most interpreters hold that the first three chapter are addressed to a circular rout of seven literal churches of that day. Every age tends to read revelation and spot dynamics on display that mirror dynamics in their own political, economic and religious situation. John wesley wrote of revelation, oh how little do we know of this deep book. There are four major schools of interpretation for the book of revelation. But its also saturated with symbolism and prophecy, which has led to a variety of methods of interpretation. The interpreters of revelation are divided into three main schools. Correct method of interpreting the book of revelation. Like all books of the bible, revelation was written in a particular time and place to particular people.
The first view of revelation is the idealist view or the spiritual view. Hinds author of the gospel advocate commentary on revelation, and many others used the historical method of interpreting revelation. Apply standard, solid, proven methods of interpretation it may seem unnecessary to say this, but ive found that people often take more liberties when interpreting revelation than they do with other books. The preterist method of interpreting the book of revelation says that the book had a direct application to the persecuted christians who first received it. When it comes to understanding revelation, scholars throughout the ages have taken four primary interpretive approaches. This method of interpreting the book of revelation achieved considerable stature in the reformation because of its identification of the pope and the papacy with the beasts of revelation rev. Interpreting revelation has cause much debate, and at least four standard methods for interpreting the book has developed. This short article is presented in hopes that it will stimulate you to start looking for some answers. Biblical hermeneutics is the science that teaches the principles and methods of interpreting the word of god. He concluded that the correct method of interpreting the book of revelation was to blend the futurist and preterist methods.
Our method of interpretation should always match the literary genre the. Here is a summary of the four approaches to interpreting revelation. Revelation introduces itself as the revelation of jesus christ, which god gave him to show his servants 1. One helpful way to meet the challenge of interpreting the book of revelation is to become acquainted with some of the main approaches to its. What is the futurist interpretation of the book of. Let us look at our suggested methods and see how they fare when compared to the past, present, and future dimensions of the. The primary meaning of the revelation, or at least the anchor point of any meaning, is what john intended it to mean, which in turn must also have. Historicist interpretations of the book of revelation wikipedia. Several principles need to guide any study of the book of revelation. In general a biblical text has one meaning is our first principle. There are a variety of ways to interpret the book of revelation, and many of these methods overlap. Reagans book, wrath and glory, covers the book of revelation chapter by chapter. When interpreting the book of revelation there are two important elements to remember. 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.
An overview of revelation multimedia training kit covers the book of revelation verse by verse. The idealist approach doesnt interpret revelation in terms of any. What is the futurist interpretation of the book of revelation. He then uses the spiritual senses of scripture to illustrate how to arrive at proper methods of interpreting revelation to arrive at the historicist, futurist, and idealist views. The books vivid imagery and striking symbolism have produced 4 main interpretive approaches. Methods for interpreting the book of revelation part 6. Through the ages several different methods of interpreting daniel and revelation have been proposed. The fervor in ages past for the historicist approach, in my opinion, is actually support for the idealist position. One website announces that all prophecy was fulfilled by 70 ad, and it makes some rather extraordinary comparisons of the revelation to peculiar tales from the history of judaea up to 70 ad as proof of its assertions. A definition and short history of historicism as a method. Throughout most of history since the predictions of the book of daniel, historicism has been widely used. The basic premise of the futurist viewpoint is that the majority of the prophecies in. Most churches today teach the futurist interpretation of the book of revelation.
Futurist occurs in the future the futurist school holds that everything after chapter 4 is yet to happen in the future. Methods of interpreting the book of revelation part 4. Different schools of interpreting revelation evidence unseen. Our second principle is that the meaning of a text is dependent on its genre. Most christians dont even realize other interpretations exist, but there are actually 5 different approaches to interpreting the book of revelation, maybe you knew. There are several methods of interpreting revelation. Interpreting revelation by cornelis venema though it is little more than a piece of scholarly gossip, some have even suggested that the reformer john calvin, one of the best interpreters of the scriptures the church has known, shied away from writing a commentary on the book of revelation for this very reason. It also ignores the time limitations the book itself places on the unfolding. Methods of interpreting prophecy 2015 audio there are a lot of harebrained preterist websites on the internet. Under this view, the book of revelation is mostly a book of future prophecy. Principles of proper bible interpretation skeptics have often asked, if the bible is gods word, why are there so many. Elsewhere he confessed, i by no means pretend to understand, or explain all that is contained in this mysterious book notes, 650. Methods of interpreting the book of revelation part 5.
Many evangelicals dont realize that the futuristic interpretation of revelation. Ppt six methods of interpreting the book of revelation powerpoint presentation free to view id. The historicist method sees these prophecies as being fulfilled through the course of human history beginning at the time of the prophets who wrote them. I would like to present a few problems that i have with the historical method of interpretation and you can consider the merits of my discoveries for yourself.
Approaches to interpreting the book of revelation devan c. Interpreting revelation by cornelis venema ligonier ministries. Select a bible version for study that is faithful to the meaning contained in languages in which the bible originally was written, giving preference to translations done by a broad group of scholars and published by a general publisher above translations sponsored by a particular denomination or narrowly focused group. We are going to begin a new endeavor, and continue it, as we have time, interspersed with the other ongoing projects we have here on christogenea saturdays. While this view still has proponents within the church, it does not match up with the purpose of the book, nor the time which god said it would take place revelation 1. First, revelation is a fulfillment of the sixtyfive books that came before it. Interpreting revelation is a sane, thorough, scholarly, and sensible approach to studying and understanding the book of revelation. Approaches to interpreting the book of revelation scholars have approached interpreting the book of revelation through four major methods. Preterism sees daniel as focusing on the reign of antiochus iv epiphanes, and.
It takes gods word at face value when it claims to be about things which must shortly be done when it was first written in the first century. Historicist interpretations of the book of revelation. There have traditionally been four or five schools of thought on the interpretive framework of the book of revelation. The historicist view teaches that the book of revelation is a symbolic presentation of church history beginning in the first century a.
Preterists view the book as almost exclusively to first century events historicists view the book as referring to the unfolding church history until christs second coming idealists see the book as symbolizing the eternal conflict between good and evil. No matter what approach you take to the book of revelation futurist or preterist, premillennial or amillennial you will find enlightenment as you have. The prophecies of revelation are fulfilled in various historic events such as the fall of the roman empire. Revelation touches the heart of people in every century. This view uses the allegorical method to interpret the book of revelation. 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. In our last presentation on this topic, i had said that none of the preterists had produced an exegetical commentary proving their position.
This interpretive method robs revelation of any meaning for those to whom it was written. The interpretation of revelation has always been a subject of debate among bible interpreters. Traditionally, interpreters have approached revelation in four primary ways. The real meaning of the bibles book of revelation is a popular, ongoing debate. Historicism, a method of interpretation in christian eschatology which associates biblical prophecies with actual historical events and identifies symbolic beings. The book of revelation was written with many of the elements of apocalyptic literature. It is helpful to know what these are so that one can understand the origin of various trains of thought on particular passages. The preterist approach interprets revelation as a description of first century events in the roman.
Interpretive models for the book of revelation as a whole. Some read the book of revelation as entirely symbolic. This type of interpretation is often called idealism, and translates the symbols found in the book as universal symbols depicting the clash between good and evil. The preterist method of interpretation takes the position that most everything in revelation was about contemporary events of johns time and usually rejects continuous divine involvement in. Reagans video program, revelation revealed, presents a sweeping overview of the entire book of revelation. Though it is little more than a piece of scholarly gossip, some have even suggested that the reformer john calvin, one of the best interpreters of the scriptures the church has known, shied away from writing a commentary on the book of revelation for this very reason. The first view of revelation is the idealist view, or the spiritual view. For most the only question about eschatology that exists is whether you think the rapture is pre, mid, or posttribulation. Wesleyanholiness methods of interpreting revelation. Few biblical topics have captured the imagination of contemporary evangelicals like the book of revelation. As my interest in end times literature grew, i discovered that not only was this not the only way of interpreting revelation, but it was in fact just one of four methods of interpretation. With the advent of the historicalcritical method of biblical interpretation, it became the dominant interpretation among new testament scholars. The timing in revelation does not support a historical view.