PMW 2026-074 by Larry E. Ball

Gentry note:
I am continuing introduces Larry Ball’s insightful primer on Revelation, titled Blessed Is He Who Reads. This article provides a brief review of some important issues necessary for entering into the Book of Revelation. I think you will find these words — and the whole book! — a valuable resource. And now from Larry Ball:

A Short Review

Before I look at the first few verses of Revelation chapter 1, I will review the principle of historical limitation that I described previously. Even though the Bible is written for us, not everything in the Bible is written to us. This is not being disrespectful to the Bible, nor does it deny that God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit can speak to us in his Word as we read it or hear it preached. It is simply being honest in recognizing that the Bible as a whole was not written directly to us. I will apply this to Revelation, but first I need to clarify a few things, and consider some significant points made by John in the first few verses of Revelation. Afterwards I will return to our main premise about how historical limitation applies to this text.

Apocalypse

The word “revelation” (apocalypse) means “revealed” and not hidden. Revelation means to unveil or uncover, not to hide and cover over. Think of an architect’s drawing of a newly-proposed city hospital that is to be presented at a special fund-raising event. The drawing often is covered by a drape until the final moment the picture is to be revealed. The drapery is removed, and the picture of the proposed hospital is visible to the eyes of everyone present. Likewise, the purpose of the book of Revelation is not to hide truth but to reveal it. My goal is to dispel the mystery of the book by removing the drapery in order to reveal the events that were to take place during the apostolic age. Every Christian should approach Revelation with the expectation of uncovering its meaning and therefore understanding it. Jesus never intended that it remain a covered mystery to all generations down through history.

Blessed Is He Who Reads: A Primer on the Book of Revelation
By Larry E. Ball

A basic survey of Revelation from an orthodox, evangelical, and Reformed preterist perspective. Ball understands John to be focusing on the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. Insightful. Easy to read.

For more Christian studies see: www.KennethGentry.com

God’s intention for us to comprehend Revelation is also reflected in John’s words in verse 1 when he writes: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.” The word “show” demonstrates the intent of uncovering or exposing. John was told to show or display to the readers that which he received from Jesus Christ. The word show also means to show by means of a sign. John intends to show the readers through signs (metaphors) what will soon happen. John assumes that the readers will understand the meaning of the signs or metaphors. Once again, I say Revelation should not be a mystery.

Heeding the Words

Another underlying principle is that not only can the content of Revelation be understood, but it is also very important that it be understood. Later in verse 3, John demonstrates the importance of comprehending the book when he says: “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” As the original readers understood Revelation, they were responsible to heed and obey God as he spoke in the book. Understanding Revelation was important to the early readers so that they might know how to obey God. I believe the same is true for us in the twenty-first century.

The Book of Revelation and Postmillennialism (Lectures by Ken Gentry)

In the first of these three 50-minute lectures Gentry explains Revelation’s judgments to show they do not contradict postmillennialism. In the next two lectures he shows how the Millennium and the New Creation themes strongly support the gospel victory hope found in postmillennialism.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Historical Limitation:
“The Time is Near”

Now, I will return to the main point of these first three verses of Revelation and to one of the keys to understanding the entire book. Notice in verses 1 and 3, John gives an example of historical limitation (restricting the events to the age of the apostles). In these verses, John was writing to the seven churches, which are identified in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. These were real churches in real cities with real people in those churches. The members of those churches had names, families, homes, jobs, and the common things we all have today that identify who we are. We tend to forget this when we think of the Bible as a book written only to us today.

Imagine yourself receiving this letter from the Apostle John by someone who carried it from John to the churches. Take, for example, the congregation at Philadelphia. The leader (or reader) of that congregation would have shared Revelation (a scroll) with the members living at that time in that particular church. Maybe he let the members read the original letter themselves. Maybe the letter was passed around from house to house. Maybe duplicates were made so the Christians would have their own copies. Regardless, the point is that the letter was written to a particular people at a particular time in history. It was written directly to them and only indirectly to us in the twenty-first century. When I read Revelation, I read what was directly written to someone else.

Great Tribulation: Past or Future?
(Thomas Ice v. Ken Gentry)

Debate book on the nature and timing of the great tribulation. Both sides thoroughly cover the evidence they deem necessary, then interact with each other.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Notice that the words in verse 1 speak about the things “which must soon take place.” Also notice the words in verse 3 where John writes “for the time is near.” John makes clear the meaning of “soon” by using a second phrase, “for the time is near.” He leaves no doubt as to his meaning. Now, I ask you, if you were hearing these words as a member of the church at Philadelphia, what would you think about the timing of the events predicted to occur in Revelation? What would have been your reaction as you were there in midst of the congregation? Well, I think all of those hearing or reading the words would have thought that Revelation was written to describe something that was to happen very soon, in the generation of the reader himself. The time was near.

The word “soon” or “shortly” is a translation from the Greek word en tachei. Luke uses this word when he describes Festus being in a hurry to leave Caesarea after the chief priests and the leading men of the Jews tried to bring charges against Paul. “Festus then answered that Paul was being kept in custody at Caesarea and that he himself was about to leave shortly [emphasis added]” (Acts 25:4). The Greek word for “near” is engus. Matthew uses this word to describe the nearness of summer following the springtime. “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near [emphasis added]” (Matt. 24:32).

Navigating the Book of Revelation (by Ken Gentry)

Technical studies on key issues in Revelation, including the seven-sealed scroll, the cast out temple, Jewish persecution of Christianity, the Babylonian Harlot, and more.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

To the church in Smyrna, John wrote in Revelation 2:10: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Most interpreters will explain this text as something that was about to happen to the church at Smyrna. They are assuming the principle of historical limitation. John was not talking about something that was going to happen two thousand years in the future. We should assume that suffering did happen to the church at Smyrna.

Persecution has happened to various generations down through the history of the church; however, I think it is only proper to apply this particular suffering to the church at Smyrna. I believe the church in that city took the language literally. They did not think, “Oh, the word soon must mean more than two thousand years into the future, so we have nothing to worry about.” No, the text is historically limited. In Revelation 3:11 to the church at Philadelphia, we read: “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” The readers of these words knew that in some sense Christ was coming quickly in their own generation. In Revelation 6:10, the question is asked by recently martyred saints in heaven: “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” The answer to that question in the same chapter is “a little while longer.”

Notice what John says in verse 11: “And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.” Here again, the picture is one of Christians who have just shed their blood for the faith and are in heaven asking God how long must they wait to see vengeance against their persecutors who are still on the earth. The answer is, “a little while longer.” The answer is, in essence — soon.

A common argument against my position in regard to the time-restrictions is a reference to 2 Peter 3:8 where Peter says: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day.” The argument goes as follows. God views time differently than we do, so when John makes a reference to “the time is near” or “soon,” actually these terms could mean thousands of years. I don’t believe that I need to spend much time refuting this argument. Following is part of Gentry’s response:

“In the first place, Peter is talking about God, whereas John is giving directives to men. Peter makes a theological statement regarding God and his perception of time; John provides an historical directive to men regarding their unfolding hardships. We must not confuse theological truth about God with historical directives to men.”

If the martyred saints would not see vengeance shortly, then I have a real problem with the integrity of the text and the integrity of God. In my mind, a 2000-year delay would be a denial of the promise of God to the martyrs in heaven who were crying out for vengeance. Such a delay would nullify any hope of those Christians being delivered from the persecution of apostate (fallen away from the faith) Jews. If I do not interpret such an event as happening soon after Revelation was written, then God’s promise is empty. How can anyone trust his promises? This is the reason I believe emphatically that the integrity of the entire Scriptures is at stake if I interpret these texts in any way other than being historically limited to the apostolic age.

The Beast of Revelation
by Ken Gentry

A popularly written antidote to dispensational sensationalism and newspaper exegesis. Convincing biblical and historical evidence showing that the Beast was the Roman Emperor Nero Caesar, the first civil persecutor of the Church. The second half of the book shows Revelation’s date of writing, proving its composition as prior to the Fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. A thought-provoking treatment of a fascinating and confusing topic.

For more study materials, go to: KennethGentry.com