Revelation Preston Clegg Recovering Reclaiming the Book of Revelation for the Church 3

Eschatology Eschatology is literally rendered, “the study of the end (last things).” The way we understand the end shapes how we live in the present. The future shapes us. (Rev. 20) There are basically four different types of eschatological systems in Christian history. They are all based on the millennium, the idea that Christ will reign for a thousand years upon the earth:

Eschatology Eschatology is literally rendered, “the study of the end (last things).” The way we understand the end shapes how we live in the present. The future shapes us. (Rev. 20) There are basically four different types of eschatological systems in Christian history. They are all based on the millennium, the idea that Christ will reign for a thousand years upon the earth:

1)Postmillenialism a)Main idea - The return of Christ will occur after the millennial reign. b)General Spirit – Optimistic - World will get better and better. History is progressing. c)Famous adherent - B.H. Carroll d)Popular around the beginning of the 20 th century.

1)Postmillenialism a)Main idea - The return of Christ will occur after the millennial reign. b)General Spirit – Optimistic - World will get better and better. History is progressing. c)Famous adherent - B.H. Carroll d)Popular around the beginning of the 20 th century.

1)Postmillenialism a)Main idea - The return of Christ will occur after the millennial reign. b)General Spirit – Optimistic - World will get better and better. History is progressing. c)Famous adherent - B.H. Carroll d)Popular around the beginning of the 20 th century.

1)Postmillenialism a)Main idea - The return of Christ will occur after the millennial reign. b)General Spirit – Optimistic - World will get better and better. History is progressing. c)Famous adherent - B.H. Carroll d)Popular around the beginning of the 20 th century.

1)Postmillenialism a)Main idea - The return of Christ will occur after the millennial reign. b)General Spirit – Optimistic - World will get better and better. History is progressing. c)Famous adherent - B.H. Carroll d)Popular around the beginning of the 20 th century.

2) Premillenialism a)Main idea - Christ will return abruptly before the millennium, ushering in the golden age. b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. c)Early Church Fathers (e.g. Papias and Irenaeus) d)Christ will initiate the millennial reign, which will give way to the new heavens and earth.

2) Premillenialism a)Main idea - Christ will return abruptly before the millennium, ushering in the golden age. b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. c)Early Church Fathers (e.g. Papias and Irenaeus) d)Christ will initiate the millennial reign, which will give way to the new heavens and earth.

2) Premillenialism a)Main idea - Christ will return abruptly before the millennium, ushering in the golden age. b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. c)Early Church Fathers (e.g. Papias and Irenaeus) d)Christ will initiate the millennial reign, which will give way to the new heavens and earth.

2) Premillenialism a)Main idea - Christ will return abruptly before the millennium, ushering in the golden age. b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. c)Early Church Fathers (e.g. Papias and Irenaeus) d)Christ will initiate the millennial reign, which will give way to the new heavens and earth.

2) Premillenialism a)Main idea - Christ will return abruptly before the millennium, ushering in the golden age. b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. c)Early Church Fathers (e.g. Papias and Irenaeus) d)Christ will initiate the millennial reign, which will give way to the new heavens and earth.

3) Dispensational Premillenialism a)Main Idea - History is divided into epochs. The millennium will begin with the rapture and end with Christ’s return. (Two returns.) (Emphasizes the rapture.) b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. Also tend to favor the nation of Israel and see the future as “history written before time.” c)Popular adherents - Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, Hal Lindsay, “Left Behind” series. d)Didn’t exist in church history until 1850’s. Fairly limited to North America, although it exists in other places.

3) Dispensational Premillenialism a)Main Idea - History is divided into epochs. The millennium will begin with the rapture and end with Christ’s return. (Two returns.) (Emphasizes the rapture.) b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. Also tend to favor the nation of Israel and see the future as “history written before time.” c)Popular adherents - Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, Hal Lindsay, “Left Behind” series. d)Didn’t exist in church history until 1850’s. Fairly limited to North America, although it exists in other places.

3) Dispensational Premillenialism a)Main Idea - History is divided into epochs. The millennium will begin with the rapture and end with Christ’s return. (Two returns.) (Emphasizes the rapture.) b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. Also tend to favor the nation of Israel and see the future as “history written before time.” c)Popular adherents - Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, Hal Lindsay, “Left Behind” series. d)Didn’t exist in church history until 1850’s. Fairly limited to North America, although it exists in other places.

3) Dispensational Premillenialism a)Main Idea - History is divided into epochs. The millennium will begin with the rapture and end with Christ’s return. (Two returns.) (Emphasizes the rapture.) b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. Also tend to favor the nation of Israel and see the future as “history written before time.” c)Popular adherents - Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, Hal Lindsay, “Left Behind” series. d)Didn’t exist in church history until 1850’s. Fairly limited to North America, although it exists in other places.

3) Dispensational Premillenialism a)Main Idea - History is divided into epochs. The millennium will begin with the rapture and end with Christ’s return. (Two returns.) (Emphasizes the rapture.) b)General Spirit – Pessimistic - World will get worse and worse. Also tend to favor the nation of Israel and see the future as “history written before time.” c)Popular adherents - Dallas Theological Seminary, Charles Scofield, W.A. Criswell, Hal Lindsay, “Left Behind” series. d)Didn’t exist in church history until 1850’s. Fairly limited to North America, although it exists in other places.

Show “Left Behind” video

4) Amillenialism a)The millennium is symbolic of the complete reign of Christ in the future. b)General Spirit - realistic. Kingdom is present already although it is not consummated. c)Famous Adherents - Augustine d)Tends to interpret Revelation symbolically, although not denying historical realities addressed in the text.

4) Amillenialism a)The millennium is symbolic of the complete reign of Christ in the future. b)General Spirit - realistic. Kingdom is present already although it is not consummated. c)Famous Adherents - Augustine d)Tends to interpret Revelation symbolically, although not denying historical realities addressed in the text.

4) Amillenialism a)The millennium is symbolic of the complete reign of Christ in the future. b)General Spirit - realistic. Kingdom is present already although it is not consummated. c)Famous Adherents - Augustine d)Tends to interpret Revelation symbolically, although not denying historical realities addressed in the text.

4) Amillenialism a)The millennium is symbolic of the complete reign of Christ in the future. b)General Spirit - realistic. Kingdom is present already although it is not consummated. c)Famous Adherents - Augustine d)Tends to interpret Revelation symbolically, although not denying historical realities addressed in the text.

4) Amillenialism a)The millennium is symbolic of the complete reign of Christ in the future. b)General Spirit - realistic. Kingdom is present already although it is not consummated. c)Famous Adherents - Augustine d)Tends to interpret Revelation symbolically, although not denying historical realities addressed in the text.

These eschatological systems are often read into the scriptures rather than drawn out of them. Revelation has often been twisted to fit these systems. To break with the system, people often think you have rejected the book. Historically, the church has understood Revelation in five (5) major ways. These views are still alive and well today:

These eschatological systems are often read into the scriptures rather than drawn out of them. Revelation has often been twisted to fit these systems. To break with the system, people often think you have rejected the book. Historically, the church has understood Revelation in five (5) major ways. These views are still alive and well today:

These eschatological systems are often read into the scriptures rather than drawn out of them. Revelation has often been twisted to fit these systems. To break with the system, people often think you have rejected the book. Historically, the church has understood Revelation in five (5) major ways. These views are still alive and well today:

1)Futurist Method - The book is primarily future oriented. Thus, the major task of interpretation is deciphering the code to predict the end. These views are most often literalist (millennium views). The problem with this view is that it removes Revelation from its historical context, abuses apocalyptic literature, and understands the book more as a revelation of end times than a revelation of Jesus.

2)Continuous-Historical Method - Understands Revelation as the unfolding of the church’s history. The apostasy of the Catholic Church is emphasized. This view is held by Luther, Wycliffe, and Barnes. The problems with this view is that it places an undue emphasis on the Catholic Church, has some bizarre interpretations of symbols, and has some of the same weaknesses as the futurist method. It also seems focused on the Western church rather than the worldwide church.

3)Philosophy of History Method - Views Revelation as a discussion of the conflicts that underlie historical events, without addressing those events with specificity. Revelation reveals God’s general provision over the earth, which can be observed in any age. The problems with this view are the opposite of the futurist or preterist method. It generalizes principles when the author clearly intended to communicate specific events.

4)Preterist Method - This method is the opposite of the futurist method. Preterists believe the entirety of the book of Revelation was fulfilled in the days of the Roman Empire, most frequently referring to the Fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 or the fall of Rome in the 5 th century. Thus, ALL the events took place in the past. While this method takes Revelation’s context seriously, it ignores the temporal axis of apocalyptic literature and prevents the book from speaking to future generations.

5)Historical Background Method - This method situates Revelation in its historical context and interprets the book with the motives of exhortation and consolation in mind. This method recognizes the symbolism within the book and interprets it non-literally. This interpretive stance demands imagination and tends to stress Revelation’s overall message rather than pressing the details.

Show 3 rd Eagle Video…