Postmillennial Worldview

PMT 2015-036 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

In my last blog article I began a two-part series showing that the text of Revelation clearly expects that the prophecies were coming soon in John’s own first-century time-frame. I will conclude this study in this article.

5. Didactic placement

John places his two leading terms in his introduction and conclusion (1:1, 3; 22:6, 10): (1) He places these expressions early (1:1, 3) to alert the readers and hearers in advance that the following prophecies are near at hand. Before anyone could form any opinion about when they think these things might occur, he informs them right up front. Thus, the audience hears these statement upon entering the book and are reminded of them upon exiting it. Furthermore, (2) these statements appear in the more didactic portions of the book before and after the dramatic symbolism confronts — and confounds — the reader/hearer.

We must recognize that the first-century recipients of Revelation were not privy to Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Roman Empire. Nor to Tim LaHaye’s, Left Behind a Rock. They were stuck only with John’s own words. Continue reading →

PMT 2015-035 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Most commentators attempt to get around John’s near-term statements in his opening and closing chapters. But it is with great difficulty that they make the effort. The reason it is so difficult to discount John’s statements is because they are so clear. In this and my next article, I will be providing some textual insights for understanding his statements. But first, I will cite two of his statements:

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon [en tachei] take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John.” (Rev 1:1)

“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 [eggus].” (Rev 1:3)

Continue reading →

PMT 2015-034 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

John states in his opening of Revelation that the events within “must soon take place” (Rev 1:1) because “the time is at hand” (Rev 1:3). This has caused commentators to trip all over themselves to explain what John “really” meant. I have reviewed six proposed answers, starting with those that are the least likely.

I will now present the final four answers in this article. These are the most reasonable ones. But of course, only one of them will be the correct one. And since it is the correct one, I have decided to choose it as my own. 🙂

7. The events are certain

The events are certain irrespective of when they occur. S. S. Smalley (27) states that “this phrase indicates the sure accomplishment of God’s purposes, rather than a ‘hasty consummation’ of history.” L. Brighton (642–43) concurs: “The events described will certainly take place: human evil and the resulting sufferings under God’s judgment, and the church of Christ completing her mission. It is necessary that these events take place.” Continue reading →

PMT 2014-033 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

This is the second in a series focusing on the question of the temporal expectation in Revelation.

I am first presenting the attempts of non-preterist interpreters to get around John’s near-term declarations in Rev 1:1, 3; 22:6, 10. Once I have presented these efforts, I will provide extensive exegetical arguments showing that John does focus on the first-century. And then I will eventually answer the question as to whether John ever looks to the distant future.

In my last blog I noted the first two responses to John’s near-term expectations: (1) John was mistaken. (2) John was ambiguous. As you might surmise, I am offering the worst answers first — just to show you how desperate some commentators get over John’s statements. Now I pick up with a third explanation. Continue reading →