Revelation 5 (The Scroll and the Lamb)

Chapter five continues the description begun in chapter four.

“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it” (Revelation 5:1-4).

A scroll with seven seals is brought forth, but no one is found worthy to open and read it.

“But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’ And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (Revelation 5:5-7).

The Lamb is obviously referring to Jesus, who comes and takes the scroll.

“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth’” (Revelation 5:8-10).

Again, Jesus has made us kings and priests, and we reign with him on earth.

“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever” (Revelation 5:11-14).

Besides the twenty-four elders and the four seraphim, there are a lot of angels: “ten thousands of ten thousands and thousands of thousands.” Obviously, these numbers are not precise but are given to us so that we will understand that there are a ton of angels present.

So, Jesus takes the scroll (5:7), and he is about to take off the seven seals and read the scroll. The rest of the book of Revelation (6:1-22:5) are a description of the breaking of the seals and what results.

Revelation 4 (Heavenly Worship)

Chapter four gives us a glorious picture of heavenly worship.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, ‘Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this’” (Revelation 4:1).

Revelation 4-22 is a description of things that take place next.

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald” (Revelation 4:2-3).

This is a description of God the Father on his throne in heaven.

“Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God” (Revelation 4:4-5).

Twenty-four elders are sitting around the throne. These are twenty-four king/priests who are ruling with God.

“Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!’” (Revelation 4:6-8).

These four living creatures with six wings are the seraphim that guard the throne of God. The description of heavenly worship parallels Isaiah 6.

“Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created’” (Revelation 4:9-11).

The twenty-four elders cast their crowns before the Father; this matches the twenty-four actions by angels in the book of Revelation.

Revelation 2-3 (Letters to the Seven Churches)

In chapters 2-3, Jesus has a special message for each of the seven churches before giving them the general message contained in chapters 4-22.

2:1-7 Ephesus
“To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God’” (Revelation 2:1-7).

The Ephesian church has left its first love. If they do not repent, then Jesus threatens to “come to you quickly.” This would be a coming in judgment, to “remove your lampstand.” Remember, lampstands are symbols of the churches. Jesus will come in judgment and destroy the church as Ephesus.

2:8-11 Smyrna
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, ‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:8-11).

The church at Smyrna is already in tribulation because they are being persecuted by some claiming to be Jews. Jesus says they are not Jews. That is, these persecutors are ethnic Jews, but because they are not spiritual Jews, Jesus calls them “a synagogue of Satan.” Again, this points to a pre-AD 70 writing of Revelation, as there was no Jewish persecution of the church after AD 70.

2:12-17 Pergamos
“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write, ‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it’” (Revelation 2:12-17).

Jesus again threatens judgment against the church at Pergamos: “I will come to you quickly.” This “coming” is fought with the “sword of My mouth,” which is the word of God. In other words, if Pergamos does not expel the doctrine of Balaam, then Jesus will send men to preach the word and replace the cowardly leaders of Pergamos.

2:18-29 Thyatira
“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. Now to you I say, and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels – as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 2:18-29).

To the church at Thyatira, Jesus says, “hold fast what you have till I come.” This is not a reference to the second coming, but to Jesus coming in judgment upon Jezebel and her children. When Jezebel and her children die, this will relieve Thyatira from their inner turmoil. However, they have to hold fast what they have until the Lord comes to them.

3:1-6 Sardis
“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 3:1-6).

Again, Jesus promises a visit: “I will come upon you as a thief.” Again, this is not the second coming. This is a coming in judgment upon the church at Sardis in the first century if they do not repent.

3:7-13 Philadelphia
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’” (Revelation 3:7-13).

The church in Philadelphia is also being persecuted by those who claim to be Jews, but are not. These are ethnic Jews, but they are not true Jews, that is, spiritual Jews. Their synagogue belongs to Satan.

Jesus speaks about “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world.” Here, “world” is oikoumene, which means the inhabited world” or “the known world,” which was common parlance for the Roman empire.

Specifically, this was “to test those who dwell on the earth.” The word for earth is the most common word for “land,” which is a reference to the land of Israel. In other words, Jesus is about to bring tribulation upon the Roman empire, and specifically upon the land of Israel. This can only refer to was about to happen in AD 70.

Again, Jesus says “Behold, I am coming quickly!” When Jesus comes to judge Jerusalem, he will also judge the churches, removing those that are unfaithful and rewarding those who are faithful. This is going to happen quickly.

3:14-22 Laodicea
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked – I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:14-22).

The church at Laodicea is wealthy and lukewarm. Jesus threatens to vomit them out of his mouth. This time, Jesus is wanting to visit the church in a good way. He wants to dine with them.

Summary of Chapters 2-3
Notice how each of the seven letters contains a reference to Jesus coming, yet none of these are the second coming or personal, bodily comings of Christ. He comes for blessing or for cursing, using agents to accomplish his will.

The letters to the seven churches are in the form of a chiasm.

A) Ephesus – loveless
B) Smyrna – persecuted
C) Pergamos – compromising
D) Thyatira – corrupt
C) Sardis – dead
B) Philadelphia – faithful
A) Laodicea – lukewarm

Ephesus and Laodicea are both lax. Smyrna and Philadelphia are both faithful. Pergamos, Thyatira, and Sardis represent a progression of churches that tolerate error: compromise, corruption, death.

Revelation 1 (Introduction)

1:1-3 Introduction and Benediction

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:1-3).

a) Revelation is about Jesus Christ; he is the interpretive center.

b) The time texts lay the foundation for how we interpret this book.

c) Revelation is signified, full of symbols, just like OT prophecy.

d) Blessing is promised for those who read and obey.

1:4-8 Greeting to the Seven Churches

“John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: ‘Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:4-6).

a) John is recording this letter specifically for the seven churches that are in Asia minor. The entire letter is for their benefit. Along with the time texts, this points us toward a first century fulfillment.

b) Jesus has ascended and is ruler over the kings on earth.

c) Jesus has made us kings and priests.

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:7-8).

a) “He is coming with clouds” is not a reference to the second coming, nor is this a personal coming. This is OT language for a coming in judgment (cf. Isaiah 19:1). Jesus will come in the sense that he will send his agents to do his bidding.

b) “Every eye will see” does not mean that everyone on the earth will see Jesus physically coming. “Seeing” often refers to cognitive perception, to understanding. Everyone will hear about the destruction of Jerusalem, and then they will understand that Jesus has come in judgment.

c) This is the theme of Revelation. Jesus has ascended, and he is going to prove that he has ascended by coming in judgment on Jerusalem. Jesus talks about coming frequently (2:5, 16, 25; 3:3, 11; 16:15; 22:7, 12, 20). Do not confuse this coming in judgment with the second coming.

1:9-20 The Vision of the Son of Man

“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9).

The great tribulation had already started. Nero began to persecute the church in AD 64. Revelation was likely written around then.

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,’ and, ‘What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea’” (Revelation 1:10-11).

The message of Revelation is relevant for these seven churches in the first century.

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “’Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death’” (Revelation 1:12-18).

This is a description of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, which matches descriptions in Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, and Daniel 7 & 10.

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches” (Revelation 1:19-20).

a) The seven golden lampstands are symbols of the seven churches.

b) The seven stars are symbols of the angels (messengers; possibly pastors) over each of the seven church.

When Was Revelation Written?

Most modern scholars believe that Revelation was written around AD 95. Obviously, if Revelation was written after AD 70, then the book could not be a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem.

The arguments concerning the date of Revelation are very technical, on both sides. Nevertheless, there is one fairly obvious point in favor of a pre-AD 70 date.

Revelation 17:10 tells us when the book was written.

“There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time” (Revelation 17:10).

This verse is referring to seven kings, who are emperors of Rome. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has yet to come. This means that five have died. The sixth is currently reigning. The seventh is not yet ruling.

Claudius was the fifth emperor of Rome, and he died in AD 54. Nero was the sixth emperor, and he reigned from AD 54-68. The book of Revelation was written during his Nero’s reign.

Kenneth Gentry has written an entire book, Before Jerusalem Fell, defending a pre-AD 70 dating of the book of Revelation. He compiles a ton of evidence that many find convincing.

At the end of the day, neither side can absolutely prove when Revelation was written. It is best to keep an open mind, to study the contents of the book, and to see what the book points us toward.

As we will see throughout this study and especially this morning, the content of Revelation itself not only fits in a pre-AD 70 time period, but it only fits in a pre-AD 70 time period.

The Last Days (Esch 356)

The Last Days of What?

The “End Times” is often described as the “Last Days.” A few passages speak about the last days.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1).

The common assumption is that “the last days” describes the last days of the universe. However, the author of Hebrews indicates that he was already in the last days.

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

The author of Hebrews was in the last days. Unfortunately, many attempt to argue that the last days began in the first century and continue even today, so that, two thousand years later, we are still in the last days. According to this view, we will still be in the last days until Christ returns, even if that is 100,000 years from now.

Of course, this not only drains “last days” of any significance, but it gives “last days” precisely the opposite of its normal meaning.

A more natural way of understanding “last days” is that it is referring to a specific era. Preterists hold that “last days” refers to the “last days of the Old Covenant” or “last days of the temple” or “last days of Jerusalem.” All of these describe the situation leading up to the destruction of the temple in ad 70.

Prophetic Language in the NT (Esch 355)

Jesus and Prophetic Language
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus has been predicting the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple when he uses imagery strikingly similar to Isaiah.

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken” (Mark 13:24-25).

Has Jesus all of a sudden shifted from talking about the destruction of the temple to describing the end of the world? Not at all. Jesus is talking about the end of the Jewish world. The Jewish leaders will be overthrown and the Jewish world will come to an end with the destruction of the temple.

John and Prophetic Language
The apostle John gives a similar description.

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind” (Revelation 6:12-13).

John’s language has been taken by many to be a description of the end of the world. However, this is not the end of the world, but the end of a world, namely, the end of the Jewish world.

Thus, we need to be careful about passages that seem to describe the “end times.” They are probably describing the end of a nation or an era rather than the end of the universe.

Prophetic Language in Isaiah (Esch 354)

Prophetic Language

Preterists observe that throughout the Bible, prophecies that seem to describing the end of the world are actually describing something less than that. For example, consider Isaiah’s prophecy against Babylon.

“The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw” (Isaiah 13:1).

“Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them” (Isaiah 13:17).

“And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,

The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride,

Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isaiah 13:19).

God is going to raise up the Medians to overthrow and destroy the Babylonian kingdom. However, look at how Isaiah describes this:

“For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not give their light;

The sun will be darkened in its going forth,

And the moon will not cause its light to shine” (Isaiah 13:10).

“Therefore I will shake the heavens,

And the earth will move out of her place,

In the wrath of Yahweh of hosts

And in the day of His fierce anger” (Isaiah 13:13).

It sounds as if Isaiah is describing the end of the world, and he is, in a sense. However, he is not describing the end of the physical universe but the end of the Babylonian world.

God often uses imagery of the heavens to describe nations. The sun often refers to kings. The moon refers to the queen, and the stars refers to other leaders. This goes back to Joseph’s dream.

“Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, ‘Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me’” (Genesis 37:9).

The sun is Jacob. The moon is Leah. The eleven stars are his brothers.

Thus, when Isaiah writes that the heavens are shaken and the sun, moon, and stars are darkened, he is saying that Babylon’s rulers are going to be overthrown and their kingdom is going to fall.

Time Texts in Revelation (Esch 353)

The Book of Revelation also contains many time indicators.

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John” (Revelation 1:1).

The content of the book of Revelation was going to take place shortly.

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

The time of the fulfillment of this prophecy was near, not an indefinite period of time away.

“Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 22:6).

At the end of the book, God confirms that these things will take place shortly.

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (Revelation 22:7).

Jesus also states that he is coming quickly. All of these time texts point toward a more immediate fulfillment of these prophecies.

Thus, Preterists hold that the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the first century.

This might seem difficult to understand at first because this means that the seals, the trumpets, the bowls, the beast, the false prophet, the binding of Satan, etc., took place in the first century.

However, if we take the time texts seriously, we will find that there are good and reasonable explanations for these prophetic details.

Time Texts in the Olivet Discourse (Esch 352)

Preterists pay special attention to the time texts throughout the Scriptures. For example, near the end of the Olivet Discourse, Jesus makes this statement:

“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Mark 13:30).

In other words, everything that Jesus has been speaking of in verses 1-29 is going to happen within one generation. Jesus spoke this in AD 30, which means that by AD 70 (one generation), all of these things had to have been fulfilled. Look what this includes:

“For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.” (Mark 13:19).

Jesus says that the great tribulation will occur before that generation passes away.

“Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26).

Jesus also says that the coming of the Son of Man will occur before that generation passes away.

“And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven” (Mark 13:27).

Jesus states that the gathering of the elect by the angels will occur by AD 70.

It might be hard to understand how the tribulation, the coming of the Son of Man, and the gathering of the elect could have happened in the first century, but Preterists insist upon taking the time texts seriously.

“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” (Mark 13:30).

There are good and reasonable explanations for how the tribulation, the coming of the Son of Man, and the gathering of the elect took place within a generation. We will examine more of these in the future when we study the Olivet Discourse.

Primer on Preterism (Esch 351)

We will spend the next couple of months looking at texts and topics from a Preterist approach, but let’s quickly survey a couple of few features of Preterism.

1) We take the time texts seriously, letting the time language function naturally. We are willing to rethink the details of “end times” texts in light of the time indicators.

2) We carefully examine the Old Covenant prophecies to see how the prophets of old used language and symbols. We find “end times” prophetic language can be applied to specific situations, such as the end of a nation or era.

4) Preterism (Esch 305)

Preterism interprets most of the prophecies as already fulfilled in the past, namely in the first coming of Christ. Preterists observe that many of the prophecies are centered around the time period between the ascension of Jesus and the judgment of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Thus, the great tribulation happened to the early church. The beast and false prophet were first century figures. The book of Revelation has been mostly fulfilled for almost two thousand years.

There is an aberrant form of Preterism which holds that all prophecy has been fulfilled, and we are in the eternal state right now. Sometimes this is called “Full Preterism.” However, this view has been universally condemned.

It is important to note that Preterists do believe that there are still some prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled. Jesus will return; there will be the resurrection and the final judgment.

The popularity of Preterism has waxed and waned throughout the centuries, but it has enjoyed a comeback in the past few decades. RC Sproul and Hank Hanegraaff are two of the most well-known Preterists.

Preterism is the approach that we are going to take throughout this series.

3) Idealism (Esch 304)

Idealism interprets most of the prophecies as being fulfilled throughout the history of the church, but in a general way, not in specific events.

We are not to look for a chronology in prophecy because the purpose of prophecy is to communicate general ideas, not specific events. The great tribulation, the millennium, and the antichrist are being fulfilled throughout church history.

Hence, we ought not look for a specific period of great tribulation. Rather, the entire church age is a period of great tribulation for the church.

Likewise, Idealists believe that Revelation and other prophecies teach general truths about how the church is persecuted. So, rather than looking for a specific person to identify as the antichrist or the beast, Idealists believe that these are general terms for evil and opposition to Christ.

The vivid descriptions of seals and trumpets and bowls are descriptions of the spiritual warfare that takes place in the heavens between angels.

The attractiveness of Idealism is that it focuses on Jesus Christ, rather than obsessing over the latest theories on who the antichrist is. Idealism is the majority position in the PCA and most Reformed churches. Kim Riddlebarger and Michael Horton are two of the most well-known Idealists.

The weakness of Idealism is in over-generalizing the Scriptures and missing the intended meaning of specific referents. While we will not be giving a full critique of Idealism, we will, from time to time, point to some Scriptures that do not seem to fit well with Idealism.

2) Historicism (Esch 303)

Historicism interprets most of the prophecies as being fulfilled evenly throughout the history of the church by specific events. That is, the fulfillment of prophecy is not concentrated in a narrow block of time, either in the past or in the future. Rather, prophecy is fulfilled gradually throughout history.

For example, in Revelation 2-3, Jesus writes letters to seven churches in Asia Minor. Historicists view these seven churches as symbolic of seven periods of church history. Thus, the key is to figure out which of the seven letters describe the church today.

Historicism became especially popular in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as many of the Protestants interpreted the book of Revelation as describing their struggle against the Roman church. Thus, the great harlot of Revelation 17 is the Catholic church. The pope is the antichrist.

Historicism was the dominant view during the Reformation and Puritan era. In fact, the original version of the Westminster Confession of Faith names the pope as the antichrist. Many of the greatest theologians in church history were Historicists, with Martin Luther and Jonathan Edwards being two of such giants.

However, there are very few Historicists today. As the church has grown older, most have realized the arbitrariness of applying specific prophesies to contemporary situations. Thus, Historicism is by far the minority position today. As such, we will rarely interact with Historicism in our series on eschatology.

1) Futurism (Esch 302)

Futurism interprets most of the prophecies as still awaiting future fulfillment. All prophecy is “future” when it is written, but a Futurist holds that most of the prophecies are still future today. These prophecies will be fulfilled at the end of history.

The great tribulation, the number of beast, the antichrist are all yet to be fulfilled. They will occur near the end of the world.

The uniqueness of Futurism is their belief in a future “millennium.” That is, Futurists expect Jesus Christ to return and to reign on the earth as King for a long time (perhaps exactly one-thousand years). The millennium is not an era of perfection, as sin will still be present. The eternal state takes place after the millennium.

There are actually two main views of Futurism in our day:

a) Some hold that the millennium is a return to Judaism. That is, God will remove the church from the world and re-establish Israel as a nation on earth, with Jesus Christ ruling in Jerusalem for exactly one thousand years. The temple will be rebuilt, the priesthood will be reestablished, and animal sacrifices will resume.

This form of Futurism is called “Dispensationalism,” and is probably best known today by the popular Left Behind series. John MacArthur and Chuck Swindoll are two of the most well-known Dispensationalists.

b) Other Futurists hold that the millennium is a time of peace and tranquility for the church. Jesus Christ will return to earth and reign as King for a long period of time (perhaps exactly one thousand years), at the end of which, many Jews will be converted. John Piper and Wayne Grudem are two of the most well-known Futurists.

Because Futurism is the dominant approach to eschatology in twenty-first century America, we will be interacting with it at various points throughout our series.

Four Approaches to Eschatology (Esch 301)

One of the challenges about studying eschatology is that there are so many details that we can easily drown in a sea of triviality. It helps to take a step back, to look at the big picture. Before we get into specific passages and specific topics, we need to look at eschatology as a whole, in an overview fashion.

Throughout the history of the church, there have been four basic approaches that have been articulated regarding eschatology. Each of these four approaches makes sense within themselves. Intelligent, godly men have held to each of these four positions.

Each approach begins with a set of principles. Often, these principles are not consciously adopted, but they are unconsciously assumed. They function on the level of presuppositions. That is, they are subconsciously or unknowingly adopted.

We will briefly define each approach before taking a look at each one in detail.

1) Futurism interprets most of the prophecies as still awaiting future fulfillment (hence, “Futurism”), with the bulk of the prophetic texts being fulfilled at the end of history.

2) Historicism interprets most of the prophecies as being fulfilled evenly throughout the history of the church (hence, “Historicism”) by specific events.

3) Idealism interprets most of the prophecies as being fulfilled throughout the history of the church, but in a general way, not in specific events (hence, “Idealism”).

4) Preterism interprets most of the prophecies as already fulfilled in the past (prater is Latin for “past”, hence, the name Preterism), specifically in the first century AD.

Where’s the Triumphant Kingdom? (Esch 208)

The problem for us today is that we do not see the triumphant kingdom. We do not see the stone becoming a mountain, or the mustard seed growing into a tree, or the yeast leavening the loaf.

We do not see the church conquering all the kingdoms of the world. We do not see the enemies of the church being crushed and turned into chaff.

We look at the world and wonder how we should interpret God’s promises. However, this is not how God’s people should think. This is how pagans think.

We need to look at God’s promises and wonder how we should interpret the world.

Many Christians have this exactly backwards. They look at the triumphant promises of God, then look at the decline of our society, and conclude that the triumphant promises must be for another age (Premillennialism) or another realm (Amillennialism).

We need to interpret history through the Bible, not the Bible through history. We need to trust that God got it right. We need the eyes of faith.

The decline of Western civilization is what it is. We have abandoned God, and now, we are paying the price. However, the church is flourishing in other parts of the world.

For example, in China, there are more Christians than there are people in the United States. More are converting each week than there are members in many of our evangelical denominations. Meanwhile, conservative Episcopalians in America are seeking help from the Anglican church in Africa. We are witnessing a shift in the global center of the church.

However, we must not mistake America for the church. God has blessed America like no other nation, but as we speed towards apostasy, we will likely be cursed like no other nation.

Things are getting worse in America and in the west, but things are not getting worse for the church. From the perspective of two millennia of history, we can see the triumph of the church. The church is now alive and well on every continent and in every country. There are relatively few people groups that have never heard the gospel. And, the best is yet to come.

We can be pessimistic about Europe, pessimistic about America, and pessimistic about Western culture. But, we cannot be pessimistic about the church. We are to be unapologetically optimistic about the future of the church.

Jesus Christ is building his church, and nothing will prevail against it. We expect the triumph of the Kingdom of God. This is the message of Daniel, the message of the Psalms, the message of Jesus and the Apostles. This is the message of the Scriptures.

The Second Advent of Jesus (Esch 207)

When this is finished, then Jesus will return.

"For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet" (1 Corinthians 15:25).

The return of Jesus marks the end of history.

"But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power" (1 Corinthians 15:23-24).

Here’s a summary of the major events in the Kingdom of God:

1) The first coming of Jesus Christ (death, resurrection, ascension, Pentecost).

2) The growth of the Kingdom of God and subduing of enemies.

3) The second coming of Jesus Christ.

4) Jesus delivers the Kingdom to God the Father.

We live in the time between the two advents of Jesus Christ. Until his second coming, Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning through the church.

Jesus Builds His Kingdom (Esch 206)

Jesus gave a sterling promise regarding the Kingdom of God.

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).

Jesus promises to build his church. Jesus uses a play on words saying, “You are Peter (rock), and on this rock (stone), I will build my church.” Remember, that according to Daniel 2, the Kingdom of God begins with a stone. Again, we also encounter the indestructible nature of the Kingdom of God. Not even the gates of Hades, that is death, will prevail against it. The Kingdom of God will triumph over all of its enemies.

Building the Kingdom
How is Jesus building his Kingdom? "

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus ascended to the right hand of God and is ruling and reigning over the universe through the church. The church’s mandate is to make disciples of all the nations. Become a mountain. Grow into a tree. Leaven the entire loaf.

Jesus and the Kingdom of God (Esch 205)

Jesus and John came with the same message.

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!'" (Matthew 3:1-2).

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15).

Both said that the Kingdom of God was at hand. This meant that the Kingdom of God was near. It was close to being inaugurated.

In Matthew 13, Jesus told a series of parables about the Kingdom of God. We will look at two which particularly correspond with Daniel.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

"Another parable He put forth to them, saying: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches'" (Matthew 13:31-32).

The idea here is that the Kingdom of God starts out small, in fact smaller than any other seeds, but once it is grown, it is greater than all other herbs and becomes a tree.

Jesus highlights the principle that the Kingdom starts inauspiciously, but it grows surprisingly large. This matches what Daniel said about the growth of the Kingdom. It starts as a stone but becomes a mountain, just as a mustard seed becomes a large tree.

The Parable of the Leaven

"Another parable He spoke to them: 'The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened'" (Matthew 13:33).

Jesus also compared the Kingdom of God to leaven or yeast. Leaven starts out as a proportionately small ingredient in a loaf of bread, but it effect the entire load, causing it to rise. This matches what Daniel said about the growth and the universality of the Kingdom of God. The stone becomes a mountain which fills the earth, just as a pinch of yeast spreads throughout the entire loaf.

Psalm 110 and the Kingdom of God (Esch 204)

The New Testament writers quote Psalm 110:1 more than any other Scripture. This is another key passage to understanding the Kingdom of God.

"The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool'" (Psalm 110:1).

Translators use small capitals in “LORD” to show that David is using God’s personal name, Yahweh. Thus, David wrote, “Yahweh said to my Lord.”

Who is David’s Lord? Does he have any Lord’s but God? No. This is a reference to a distinction among God. We understand that David’s Lord is Jesus. Yahweh is a reference to the Father.

Thus, David is writing that the Father will say to the Son, “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

What does it mean “till I make Your enemies Your footstool?” This is common battle language to describe the defeat of enemies. The defeated kings would be brought before the victor, and the victor would place his foot on their neck, signifying total victory.

Thus, Jesus will sit down at the Father’s right hand and stay there until the Father has defeated all of Jesus’ enemies.

We learn three significant things from this verse:

1) Jesus will sit at God’s right hand at a certain point in time. This is a reference to the ascension, as multiple passages make clear (Mark 16:19; Acts 23:32-36; Acts 5:30-31; Romans 8:34; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:1-3; 8:1; 10:12-13; 12:2).

2) When Jesus first sits at God’s right hand, not all of his enemies are defeated. This was true of Jesus’ ascension.

3) Jesus will sit at God’s right hand until a certain point in time – namely, until God defeats all of his enemies. Thus, Jesus is still at God’s right hand until his enemies are defeated.
This integrates well with what we learned from Daniel 2 and 7.

a) The Kingdom of God is established at the ascension of Jesus: when the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7) is also when David’s Lord sits at the right hand of Yahweh (Psalm 110).

b) The Kingdom of God grows: the stone becomes a mountain and fills the whole earth (Daniel 2) as all God’s enemies are subdued (Psalm 110).

This triumphal expectation carries forward into the gospels, yet Jesus adds to our understanding of the Kingdom of God.

Daniel 7 and the Kingdom of God (Esch 203)

In the seventh chapter of Daniel, he sees a vision of four beasts: a lion, a bear, a leopard, and an unspecified beast. These symbols are explained to Daniel.

"Those great beasts, which are four, are four kings which arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever" (Daniel 7:17-18).

The four beasts represent four kingdoms, the same four kingdoms which Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.

1. The Lion = Babylon

2. The Bear = Persia

3. The Leopard = Greece

4. The Beast = Rome

However, the kingdom will be given to the saints of the Most High forever. This is described further at the end of the chapter.

"Then the kingdom and dominion,

And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,

Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Daniel 7:27).

Again, the Kingdom of God will be everlasting and universal.

In the midst of his vision of the four beasts, Daniel also has a vision of the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man.

"I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14).

The Ancient of Days is God. The Son of Man is Jesus. Daniel saw a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

The Ancient of Days was sitting on his heavenly throne (Daniel 7:9-10). The Son of Man is “coming with the clouds of heaven.” Many think this is a description of Jesus coming to the earth. However, this is incorrect. The Son of Man does not come from the Ancient of Days. He comes to the Ancient of Days.

At this moment, the Ancient of Days gives the Son of Man a kingdom, which is described as universal, eternal, indestructible. This is the same Kingdom of God that has been described throughout the book of Daniel.

Daniel 7:13-14 provides the point in time of the establishment of the Kingdom of God: when the Son of Man comes to the Ancient of Days. This is a description of the ascension. When Jesus ascended to heaven, he ascended to the throne of the universe. He was placed at the right hand of God.