Ask the Pastor Week Six:

Revelation and the Future Pastor Kent Bertrand The Bridge Church Sunday, August 21st, 2016

1. Could you quickly explain the book of Revelation to me?

God Wins.

Who? The Apostle John To Whom? The Seven Churches listed in Revelation 2-3, and all believers. What? The vision that John received When? About AD 95 Where? The Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea Why?

To provide hope and encouragement for Believers as they went through suffering and persecution.

Outline of the Book of Revelation 1. Prologue (1:1–3) 2. Seven Messages to Seven Churches (1:4–3:22) 3. Seven Seals (4:1–8:5) 4. Seven Trumpets (8:2–11:19) 5. Seven Symbolic Histories (12:1–14:20) 6. Seven Bowls (15:1–16:21) 7. Seven Messages of Judgment (17:1–19:10) 8. Seven Visions (19:11–22:5) 9. Epilogue (22:6–21) Four Views on the Book of Revelation Understanding the Book of Revelation

Four Views How Revelation is Viewed More about This View Example: Trumpets Rev. 8:1–13

The trumpets are the stages of Historicist church history, perhaps from The book of Revelation is prophecy Historicists view the events in Revelation as about AD 400 until the 15th Revelation is like a history about church history from the time symbolic descriptions of historical events century (or to the present). textbook for the past, of John to the end of the world. throughout church history. present, and future.

“Partial Preterism” views most of Revelation as prophecy fulfilled in the first century AD, The trumpets represent a vision Preterist The book of Revelation is prophecy though final chapters of Revelation describe of the Roman war with the Jews in that was fulfilled primarily in the the first century AD and extend Revelation is like an ancient future events to occur at the end of time. first century AD. the seals’ description in further newspaper. “Full Preterists” contend that the return of detail. Jesus was spiritual and occurred in AD 70.

Futurist The book of Revelation is prophecy In the futurist view, all or nearly all of primarily about the future end of Revelation is yet to occur. Revelation is a The trumpets describe the events Revelation is like a road map the world. prophecy that describes the end of time and of the tribulation in the last days. for the future. the years leading immediately to the end.

This view treats the images, visions, and Idealist dreams as symbolic expressions of struggles The book of Revelation is a non- between good and evil throughout history. Revelation is an allegory for historical and non-prophetic drama These symbols represent the struggle between all times and places. about spiritual realities. the kingdom of God and the powers of evil. The Good News…

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.—Revelation 1:3

2. I see people use the book of Revelation to say when Christ will return. Is that possible? Do we know when Christ is coming back?

No ... 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and … … took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. — Matthew 24:36-41

“If Jesus arrived at one particular instant of time, there are 24 times zones around the world, and each time zone has multitude of Christians in it. How are you going to identify that particular instant in each time zone on earth? Also, there are always two days existing on earth at the same time; only at the exact second that the earth passes through the international date line does only one day exist on all the earth. … … All other times, there are two days existing on earth at any one moment; one day is coming and the other day is going. So you can see the problem in trying to tell all the Christians covering the earth at any one instant of time the exact day or hour of our Lord's return. However, this does not preclude or prevent the faithful from knowing the year, the month, and the week of the Lord's return. — Edger Whisenant

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. — Matthew 22: 42-44 3. The Bible says to prepare for Jesus’s return. How do we do that?

35 “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36 like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. … … Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38 It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. … … 40 You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 41 Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” 42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at … … the proper time? 43 It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. Are you ready?

Four Views on the Book of Revelation Understanding the Book of Revelation

Example: Trumpets Rev. 8:1–13 Four Views How Revelation is Viewed More about This View

The trumpets are the stages of church Historicist history, perhaps from about AD 400 The book of Revelation is prophecy about Historicists view the events in Revelation as symbolic until the 15th century (or to the Revelation is like a history church history from the time of John to descriptions of historical events throughout church present). textbook for the past, present, and the end of the world. history. future.

“Partial Preterism” views most of Revelation as prophecy fulfilled in the first century AD, though final Preterist The trumpets represent a vision of the The book of Revelation is prophecy that chapters of Revelation describe future events to occur Roman war with the Jews in the first was fulfilled primarily in the first century at the end of time. Revelation is like an ancient century AD and extend the seals’ AD. newspaper. description in further detail. “Full Preterists” contend that the return of Jesus was spiritual and occurred in AD 70.

Futurist The book of Revelation is prophecy In the futurist view, all or nearly all of Revelation is yet primarily about the future end of the to occur. Revelation is a prophecy that describes the The trumpets describe the events of the Revelation is like a road map for world. end of time and the years leading immediately to the tribulation in the last days. the future. end.

This view treats the images, visions, and dreams as Idealist symbolic expressions of struggles between good and The book of Revelation is a non-historical evil throughout history. These symbols represent the Revelation is an allegory for all and non-prophetic drama about spiritual struggle between the kingdom of God and the powers times and places. realities. of evil. . . .